FLOTUS: Childhood Obesity is “Imminently Solvable”

From Sunlen Miller:

Gearing up for the formal roll-out of her childhood obesity initiative next week, First Lady Michelle Obama met this afternoon with six members of Congress and Cabinet Secretaries in the Old Family Dining Room in the White House.

Calling the problem of childhood obesity “imminently solvable,” the first lady said that it will take efforts across the nation to remedy the problem.

“This challenge is that this problem is imminently solvable, and that's the good news.  But it's going to require us working together — not just the administration, but Congress, governors, mayors, parents, teachers.  Anyone who has access to children in their lives is going to have to work together.”

The first lady said the bipartisan effort is going to require just a single federal solution, but require “national action.”

Mrs. Obama said the effort would focus on four areas: increasing the number of healthy schools, increasing the level of physical activity in children’s lives, improving the accessibility of healthy food options and empowering consumers to make good food choices.

Members of Congress present at the meeting today with the first lady were Senate Agriculture Chair Blanche Lincoln, D-AR, and ranking member Saxby Chambliss, R-GA; Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Harkin, D-IA, and ranking member Mike Enzi, R-WY; House Education and Labor Chair George Miller, D-CA, and House Agriculture Chair Collin Peterson, D-MN.

“We’ve got a health crisis,” HHS Secretary Sebelius said sighting statistics that 1 in 3 children are obese, “the trend is growing more alarming by the day. So the first lady is focus on an effort and really wants to bring partners together.”

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said this issue, “is one we can all rally behind,”  to work collectively among agencies, and with the private sector.

Next Tuesday the first lady will formally unveil the specifics of her plan.

-Sunlen Miller