Calling All Fat Kids On the Block: Mrs. Obama Says Let's Move!

Obesity rates have tripled over the last 30 years, totaling upwards of $150 billion spent on treating obesity-related conditions. But obesity is greatly affecting one sector of the American population: Children. Being obese as a child greatly increases the risk of dying before the age of 55, and with obesity rates among youngsters sky-rocketing, we're looking at a generation that could very well have shorter life expectancies than their parents. The situation looks grim, but now with the help of First Lady Michelle Obama we might get some solid programs in place to move towards a healthier future.

This week Mrs. Obama launched the Let's Move campaign, an initiative to fight childhood obesity and raise a healthier generation of kids.

"The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake," said Mrs. Obama.

There are four key components to the campaign:

1. Making Healthy Choices

2. Healthier Food in Schools

3. Access to Healthy Affordable Foods

4. Increased Physical Education

What's refreshing to see is the call for both personal and government actions. Many groups have voiced their support for the Let's Move campaign, including Slow Food USA.

But those are the groups that make sense. Other supporters include Burger King and the American Beverage Association, raising the question of how the campaign will deal with the issue of high fructose corn syrup.

The Nation is currently running a poll on what people think will be most effective for the campaign.

The choices include:

- Reducing the amount of fat, sugar and salt in school lunches.

- Media companies and professional athletes promoting exercise with the "60 Minutes of Play a Day" message.

- Eliminating subsidies for high fructose corn syrup.

- Nothing. The government will not effect change, it's up to the parents to teach healthy eating habits.

There are certainly many ways to decrease childhood obesity, and if Mrs. Obama has her way, it's going to be a combination of government led campaigns as well as personal choice, encouraging the rest of us to have a little more faith in the government's ability to affect change. But some are saying that there's even more that can be done above and beyond Let's Move's four components; getting back to nature.

"Time unplugged and playing outside in nature should be an integral part of the First Lady's initiative," said Rebecca Garland, Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation's Be Out There campaign.

It's a good reminder that when it comes to healthier children, the solution might be all about simplifying the everyday lifestyles of our children, focusing on whole and healthy foods, less time away from the computer and more time in nature and certainly switching out sugary drinks for plain old water. And those are all things that we adults should certainly be focusing on too.