Mama Obama fights obesity

2010-02-10 15:34

Washington - First Lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday harnessed iconic media groups and stars as she launched an ambitious programme to end the epidemic of childhood obesity, which affects one in three US children.

"We're working with the Walt Disney Company, NBC Universal and Viacom to launch a nationwide public awareness campaign, educating parents and children about how to fight childhood obesity," Obama said at the launch of the Let's Move campaign.

The first lady described the problem of obese American youth as "one of the most serious threats to the future of our children".

"Let's Move will rally our nation to achieve a single, ambitious goal: solving the problem of childhood obesity in a generation," she said at the White House.

Disney said it will develop a series of public service announcements, featuring Michelle Obama alongside leading Disney Channel stars, to support Let's Move, and pledged that at least one episode of each series including the wildly popular Hannah Montana show would feature a healthy lifestyle theme.

The Disney public service announcements, which will encourage children to eat more healthfully and be more physically active, are to air starting later this year.

- SAPA

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