Family Life

01.29.10 | FL News Team

First Lady Michelle Obama is helping U.S. health officials wage a new campaign against America's obesity epidemic. The First Lady told an audience of children's advocates at an Alexandria, Virginia YMCA on Thursday that even though she is taking on childhood obesity as a cause, it will take an effort from every American to end the public health crisis. Obama said, quote, "This will not be easy and it won't happen overnight, and it won't happen simply because the First Lady has made it her priority.'' Obama's Thursday appearance was part of an event to launch U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin's plan for fighting obesity. Benjamin's report lists recommendations like eating more fruits and

vegetables, putting P.E. programs back in schools and bringing supermarkets to low-income neighborhoods. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was also at the launch event. She said the Obama administration is committing 650-million dollars of economic stimulus money to programs aimed at combating obesity and smoking. Nearly a third of American children are overweight or obese. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that obesity-related health problems cost the county around 150-billion dollars a year.