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Onward

kdoohan — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 15:25:36 +0000

Posted by:

Debra Eschmeyer, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition

At the launch of Let’s Move! in 2010, President Obama established a Task Force on Childhood Obesity clearly stating his goal to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation and announcing the First Lady’s role in leading a national public awareness effort to improve the health of our children.

He stated: "To meet our goal, we must accelerate implementation of successful strategies that will prevent and combat obesity. Such strategies include updating child nutrition policies in a way that addresses the best available scientific information, ensuring access to healthy, affordable food in schools and communities, as well as increasing physical activity and empowering parents and caregivers with the information and tools they need to make good choices for themselves and their families. They will help our children develop lifelong healthy habits, ensuring they reach their greatest potential toward building a healthier and more prosperous America."

This was our north star. And after nearly seven years, with your help, we have made incredible progress on behalf of the health of future generations. Together, we secured healthier school meals and snacks for 50 million kids. We modernized the Nutrition Facts label on 800,000 products. And we leveraged the power of marketing to encourage all Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables and drink more water.

Due to our collective efforts, we have momentum like never before and have seen a cultural shift in the way we live and eat. Many fast food chains now serve apples and skim milk in their kids’ meals. Hundreds of convenience stores added fresh fruit to their shelves. And taken together, these changes are having a lasting impact. Childhood obesity rates have stopped rising, and have fallen among our youngest children.

We are enthusiastic about the progress across the country, but we continue to face a challenge that threatens the health of our families. That’s why we hope you all continue to find innovative ways to get moving and create new programs and policies that support healthy eating.

We must keep working together to put this generation of kids on a healthier, more prosperous path. As the First Lady said at the dedication ceremony of the White House Kitchen Garden, "I didn’t just take this issue on as First Lady, I took it on because I’m a mother who cares deeply about the health and well-being of my daughters. I took it on because I’m a citizen who loves this country and cares deeply about the future of all of our kids. So I intend to keep working on this issue for the rest of my life."

For your steadfast dedication to building a brighter future for our Nation’s children; for your partnership; and for being an integral part of America’s move to raise a healthier generation: we thank you.

In Review: Top 10 FLOTUS Let’s Move! Moments

kdoohan — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 16:10:09 +0000

Posted by:

Debra Eschmeyer, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition

Before First Lady Michelle Obama came to the White House, she was a busy mom juggling work and family. After an eye-opening conversation with her pediatrician, Mrs. Obama realized she needed to make some adjustments to her family’s eating routine. With small changes, like cooking more meals at home and drinking water, she started to see the positive impact on her family’s health.

Then, when Mrs. Obama arrived at the White House, she decided she wanted to use her platform to share the lessons she learned and help other busy parents in order to raise a healthier generation of kids and families. One of the first actions the First Lady made back in 2009 was to plant the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn. The garden helped spark a national conversation around the health and wellbeing of our country that led to the launch of Let's Move! in 2010.

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks during the launch of the "Let's Move!" initiative in the State Dining Room of the White House, Feb. 9, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

At the start of Let's Move!, President Obama established the first-ever Task Force on Childhood Obesity to develop a national action plan to mobilize the public and private sectors and engage families and communities in an effort to improve the health of our children. Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years; giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices; providing healthier foods in our schools; ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food; and helping children become more physically active.

Everyone has a role to play to ensure all of our kids grow up healthy, and through lasting policy, programs, and public-private partnerships, Let’s Move! has enabled impactful progress.

In no particular order, check out our top moments from over the course of the last eight years:

1) Updating school nutrition standards

The First Lady championed the transformation of the school food environment through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which updated school meal nutrition standards for the first time in 15 years and increased funding for the first time in 30 years. Through this law, American public schools offer healthier school meals and snacks for over 50 million kids. In addition, it increased the number of students who could get school meals at little or no cost, and ensured that any food or beverage marketed to children at school meets specific nutrition standards. The nutrition of meals and snacks served at child care was also improved, emphasizing more whole grains, a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, and less added sugars and saturated fat.

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks before President Barack Obama signs the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Washington, D.C. December 13, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

“We can all agree that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, all children should have the basic nutrition they need to learn and grow and to pursue their dreams, because in the end, nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our children. Nothing. And our hopes for their future should drive every single decision that we make,” said First Lady Michelle Obama before President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

2) Planting, harvesting, and dedicating the White House Kitchen Garden

Mrs. Obama planted the White House Kitchen Garden—the first major vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden in 1943—and invited students from across the country to plant and harvest it each year. It has become a national symbol for growing healthy food and teaching kids about where their food comes from and the benefits of healthy eating. In October 2016, the First Lady dedicated the garden, unveiling several updates to make the garden even more accessible to kids and world leaders alike.

First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Horticulturist Dale Haney work with kids from Washington's Bancroft Elementary School to break ground for a White House garden, March 20, 2009. The White House / Joyce N. Boghosian

First Lady Michelle Obama and students from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, D.C., help plant the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn, April 9, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

First Lady Michelle Obama and student Tammy Nguyen walk through the White House Kitchen Garden prior to the garden dedication at the White House, Oct. 5, 2016. Nguyen introduced the First Lady in 2010 during the launch of the "Let's Move!" initiative. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

3) Creating the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner”

To promote cooking and healthy eating among young people across the country, the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge was created, and the First Lady hosted five annual Kids’ “State Dinners” where altogether over 6,000 recipes were submitted and more than 270 young chefs and their families were welcomed to the White House. The challenge invited kids ages 8-12 to create an original, healthy, affordable, and delicious lunch recipe.

Mrs. Obama dines talks with her table guests during the Kids' State Dinner. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

President Barack Obama greets Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner, Raine Adams and her mother Stacey Adams, left, attending the Kids' State Dinner in the East Room of the White House, July 10, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

4) Updating the Nutrition Facts label

Mrs. Obama announced the Food and Drug Administration’s modernized Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods reflecting the latest science, the most relevant nutrition information, and a refreshed design in an effort to provide families with the information they need to make healthy choices.

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks during the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) Summit at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel in Washington, D.C., May 20, 2016. (Official White House Photo By Chuck Kennedy)

5) Developing programs to support kids and families leading healthier lives

Let’s Move! Active Schools was started so kids could attend schools that strive to make 60 minutes of physical activity a day the norm. Reaching over 12 million kids, this program equips schools with a customized action plan to create active learning environments.

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in musical activities with students during a back to school "Let's Move!" Active Schools event at Orr Elementary School in Washington, D.C., Sept. 6, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools was launched to increase access to fruits and vegetables, and it has done so by providing 3 million students with a salad bar.

First Lady Michelle Obama joins students for a "Let's Move! " Salad Bars to Schools launch event at Riverside Elementary School in Miami, Fla., Nov. 22, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties was created to assist local elected officials in building healthier communities across the country. Over 81 million people – or 1 in 4 Americans – have benefited thanks to the more than 520 local elected officials that have committed to the program.

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks during a "Let's Move!" Mayors meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building South Court Auditorium, July 10, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Let’s Move! Child Care was launched to ensure that our youngest children are getting a healthy start. Over 1.6 million kids attend a child care site where the provider has committed to improving the nutritional quality of the meals and snacks served, increasing opportunities for physical activity, and limiting screen time.

First Lady Michelle Obama joins children for a healthy snack during a "Let's Move!" event at La Petite Academy child care center in Bowie, Md., Feb. 27, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Let's Move! Outside was created to encourage kids and families to take advantage of America’s great outdoors. As part of President Obama’s commitment to ensure that every American has the opportunity to visit our nation’s more than 2,000 federally managed lands and waters, the Every Kid in a Park initiative allows fourth graders nationwide to obtain a pass for free entry for them and their families.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama sing songs with Girl Scouts during the White House Campout, as part of the "Let's Move! Outside" initiative, on the South Lawn of the White House, June 30, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

Learn more about our other Let’s Move! program here.

6) Launching MyPlate and MiPlato

The First Lady launched the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate and MiPlato, easy to understand icons based on the five food groups, to help Americans make healthier choices.

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a Let’s Move! initiative event with Aimee Busquet and Goya Foods CEO Bob Unanue at National Supermarket in Tampa, Fla., Jan. 26, 2012. The event showcased the MiPlato (MyPlate) program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s educational tool that assists families in making healthy meal choices. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

7) Engaging the private sector to make the healthy choice the easy choice

Over 225 corporate commitments and partnerships were championed with Mrs. Obama as the honorary chair of the Partnership for a Healthier America, a nonprofit helping the private sector make the healthy choice the easy choice. These commitments and partnerships showcase how the private sector can be an active part of the solution in supporting a healthy food system and society with increased availability of healthier products.

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks during the 2015 Partnership for a Healthier America Summit at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC, February 26, 2015.

8) Leveraging the power of marketing for healthier options

In collaboration with the Partnership for a Healthier America, the First Lady leveraged the power of marketing through three signature campaigns to encourage Americans to consume more fruits and vegetables and drink water.

Together Sesame Workshop and the Produce Marketing Association promote kids’ fruit and vegetable consumption through eat brighter!.

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a "Let's Move!" Funny or Die game show taping with Billy Eichner of Billy on the Street, and Big Bird at Safeway in Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

The Drink Up campaign is an unprecedented collaboration of companies promoting water, resulting in increased sales and consumption of water each year since its launch.

First Lady Michelle Obama and children from local YMCA organizations and the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation show off the Drink Up logo during an event on the South Lawn of the White House, July 22, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Establishing one iconic brand for fruits and vegetables, FNV harnesses the power of celebrities to deliver a healthy dose of advertising.

First Lady Michelle Obama joins the Partnership for a Healthier America for a FNV Live! event at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, Nov. 20, 2015. Stunts and challenges are led by social media creators from Whistle Sports Network. FNV, short for "fruits and vegetables," is a national brand focused on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and sales, led by PHA and a collaboration of companies, celebrities, athletes and foundations. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

9) Increasing opportunities for physical activity with Team USA

The First Lady teamed up with the U.S. Olympic Committee and several of its National Governing Bodies to provide beginner athletic programming for free or low cost to more than 1.7 million kids in 2012 and nearly 2 million kids in 2016 in support of Team USA and the Olympic Games. Mrs. Obama led the Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Games, and she participated in the 100 Day Countdown event leading up to the 2016 Rio Games.

First Lady Michelle Obama runs at an activity station during a "Let's Move! London" event at Winfield House in London, England, July 27, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks during the 2016 Olympics 100 Days Out event in Times Square, New York, N.Y., April 27, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

10) Expanding the mission of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition

The President’s Challenge Youth Fitness Test was updated to reflect the latest science on kids’ health and promote active, healthy lifestyles rather than athletic performance and competition. In addition, the mission of the President’s Council on Fitness and Sports was expanded to include nutrition, changing the Council’s name to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition and increasing the number of Council members from 20 to 25.

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in the “Pit Crew Challenge” during an event with the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition on the South Lawn of the White House, May 9, 2011. The First Lady visited seven activity stations during the event, which helped promote both the Let's Move! and Joining Forces initiatives. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice: What the Record Shows

coakar — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 05:00:00 +0000

Posted by:

Catherine Oakar, MPH, Associate Director, Let’s Move!,

Making the healthy choice the easy choice—seemingly simple words but ones that can have such tremendous impact. They are not only a cornerstone of the Obama Administration’s work on public health and health care, but for millions of Americans, they’re now a reality.

Consider each of these individuals: a student who has healthier options for breakfast and lunch at school; a neighbor who uses SNAP and can now buy more fruits and vegetables; a friend with diabetes who was denied health insurance in the past but can now get it; or a colleague who walks to work thanks to the mayor who pushed to make her city more walkable. This is what it means to have the healthy choice be the easy choice.

It can be simple to think about what occurs in our schools, in our grocery stores, in our communities, and in our hospitals as distinct and even unrelated. But, the truth is, they are all inextricably linked. From the food our kids eat and the physical education they get in school to the preventive services we get in the doctor’s office without a co-pay or the bike and walking paths in our community—these are elements that are now ingrained in our lives thanks in large part to the President and the First Lady’s efforts. Like brushing our teeth or covering our mouth when we sneeze, they help us stay healthy and have become second nature to us.

Dedicated to helping kids and families lead healthier lives through Let’s Move!, the First Lady has championed several significant public health policies including:

Establishing practical, science-based nutrition standards for school meals;
Enacting Smart Snacks in School: practical, science-based nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages sold to children during the school day;
Ensuring that any food or beverage that is marketed on school campuses during the school day meets the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards; and
Modernizing the Nutrition Facts label to help consumers make informed choices.

First Lady Michelle Obama announces the modernized Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods during the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) Summit at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel in Washington, D.C., May 20, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Indeed we have made remarkable progress in making the healthy choice second nature for more Americans. As the First Lady said,

“We have momentum like we have never seen, or could have dreamed of.”

We must utilize it to make healthy eating and active living increasingly the norm—to make these healthier choices the easier choices for all Americans!

To see the complete record of what the Obama Administration has accomplished on improving health, go here.

Let’s Move! Programs Engage a Nation

sbard — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 20:08:10 +0000

Posted by:

Sasha Bard Chamberlain, MS, RD, Associate Director of Let’s Move!

From the very beginning, one of the primary tenants of the Let’s Move! initiative was that everyone has a role to play. For nearly seven years we have worked hard to set the stage for a healthier next generation of kids by engaging stakeholders on all levels - parents, child care providers, schools, chefs, local elected officials, faith-based leaders, museums, and more.

We are proud of the progress that has taken root in communities across the country thanks in large part to a variety of Let’s Move! programs that have brought the mission of Let’s Move! to life. Learn more about their reach and impact below, and click on the program name to find out more about each effort.

Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties

No community is the same, and each one needs its own unique approach to building healthy environments. Let's Move! Cities, Towns and Counties calls upon local elected officials to adopt long-term, sustainable and holistic approaches to address childhood obesity. To date, more than 81 million Americans live in Let's Move! Cities, Towns and Counties thanks to the commitment of more than 520 local elected officials.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu does sit-ups with students at a Fit NOLA event. New Orleans has been part of Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties since 2012.

Let’s Move! Museums & Gardens

Through Let’s Move! Museums & Gardens, museums of all types — from children’s museums and public gardens to zoos, science centers, and art and history museums — help to inspire healthy habits. To date, more than 700 museums and gardens across the country, reaching an estimated 17 million visitors, have used interactive exhibits, outdoor spaces, gardens and programing to encourage families to eat healthy and get active.

Let’s Move! Museums & Gardens supports exhibits that teach kids about healthy eating and being active, like this exhibit at The Strong museum in New York where kids can visit a barn, barnyard, and fruit and vegetable stand filled with learning activities.

Let’s Move! Active Schools

Let’s Move! Active Schools helps make 60 minutes of physical activity the norm in K-12 schools. Let’s Move! Active Schools equips school leaders and educators with physical education and physical activity resources and tools to create active learning environments for students. To date, more than 22,000 schools in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, serving over 12 million students, are participating in the initiative, and 1,408 of those schools have been recognized for their outstanding efforts through the Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award.

Let’s Move! Active Schools strives for K-12 schools to provide students with 60 minutes of daily physical activity before, during, and after school.

Let’s Move! Outside

Let’s Move! Outside is dedicated to getting young people active outdoors and connected to nature. Let’s Move! Outside has launched coalitions in more than 50 cities nationwide and reaches over 10 million youth through its four pillars: Play, Serve, Learn, and Work.

Elementary students help lay mulch to improve trails at the Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Natural Area at the launch of the Let’s Move! Outside coalition in Virginia Beach.

Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools

Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools increases elementary, middle, and high school students’ access to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables at school lunch. To date, more than 5,000 salad bars have been donated to schools nationwide, reaching 3 million students with healthy options at lunchtime.

A student from the San Diego Unified School District shows off a healthy lunch tray. Salad bars were donated to 56 schools in her district through the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools program.

Let’s Move! Child Care

Let’s Move! Child Care empowers child care and early education providers to help ensure that our youngest children are getting a healthy start. Let’s Move! Child Care promotes five best practice goals for childhood obesity prevention: increase physical activity, reduce screen time, offer healthy beverages, serve healthy food, and support breastfeeding. To date, more than 21,000 child care providers have mobilized and more than 1.6 million children have been served through large network commitments.

Kids practice jumping, balancing, leaping, and crawling by going through the obstacle course in the backyard of Tender Times Child Care in Wisconsin.

Chefs Move to Schools

Chefs Move to Schools encourages chefs to lend their creative and culinary expertise in K-12 schools. Through partnerships with teachers, parents, school nutrition professionals, and administrators, chefs have the ability to help make good nutrition fun and appealing in the school environment. To date, over 2,000 chefs have offered their services, volunteering in the classroom, the cafeteria, afterschool programs, and through culinary trainings and demos.

Students learn about fruits and vegetables during a Chefs Move to Schools event.

Let’s Read! Let’s Move!

Let’s Read! Let’s Move! aims to increase awareness about the critical importance of learning, nutrition, and physical activity through reading. Let’s Read! Let’s Move! has hosted numerous events which bring in celebrities and other prominent figures to read to children and engage them with fun movement activities.

Kids participate in a book relay race in Washington, DC as part of a Let’s Read! Let’s Move! event.

Let’s Move! in Indian Country

Let's Move! in Indian Country seeks to improve the health of American Indian and Alaska Native children who are affected by childhood obesity at some of the highest rates in the country. Through this program, federal agencies, community partners, and youth leaders are working together to raise a healthy next generation of Native children.

Native youth participate in a walk through the Agua Caliente Indian Canyons as part of Let’s Move! in Indian Country.

A map of these Let’s Move! program locations and sites as of the end of the Administration can be found here.

Letters from Across the United States Tell Impact of Let’s Move!

sbard — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 13:44:55 +0000

Posted by:

Sasha Bard Chamberlain, MS, RD, Associate Director of Let’s Move!

In a world of text messages and emojis, it may seem hard to believe that people still put pen to paper, write letters, address envelopes, and lick stamps the “old fashioned way.” Here at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, mail still pours in from all across the country. Many of the letters for First Lady Michelle Obama talk about the Let’s Move! initiative and how Americans of all ages have been inspired or impacted by this work.

When letters arrive at the White House they are sorted by a team of volunteers. Some who have served in their role for more than 25 years!

As we near the end of the administration, we wanted to take a moment and reflect on some of notes we received throughout the years. Thank you to everyone who took the time to write (or tweet or comment or snap) and share your thoughts and your story with the White House.

Here are excerpts from some of the stories we’ve heard about the impact of Let’s Move! for individuals, families, schools, and communities.

A mother of 2 boys from New Jersey told the First Lady how she took inspiration from Let’s Move!, joined a gym, started running, and completed multiple 5K races with her husband and sons. The biggest accomplishment for her was seeing how proud her family was of her “lifestyle change journey.”
A student from California wrote a letter to Mrs. Obama letting her know that Let’s Move! inspired her whole family to “eat better and exercise more regularly.” She was especially appreciative of the impact it had on her cousin with special needs. Read her full letter below.

A young person in California wrote to the First Lady to share the impact Let’s Move! had on her family.

A proud father wanted to let the First Lady know that his daughter, an elementary school teacher in North Carolina, had started a greenhouse for her students and was providing an opportunity for them “to grow their own food, allowing them to taste and be a part of the process.” He noted that, “Your leadership as First Lady has brought this idea to the public. (My daughter) took your idea and ran with it.”
A Colorado teenager sent a letter to Mrs. Obama sharing that she had started a yoga club at her high school providing students a fun way to be active. She said, “The Let’s Move! campaign has been a great inspiration for us, and all of our members now understand the importance of daily physical activity.”
A high school teacher in Texas commented that she has seen “firsthand how this campaign helps our future generations, keeps kids healthy, benefits families, and has a positive effect on the entire community.”

In this digital era, the tactile evidence of thoughts, appreciation, and impact from around the country breathe life into the work we do here at the White House. It is all of you that keep the First Lady and the entire Let’s Move! team inspired to continue working on these efforts long into the future.

Captivating Clips: Top 10 Let’s Move! Videos

kdoohan — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 18:44:48 +0000

Posted by:

Kelly Miterko, Deputy Director, Let's Move!

Through Let’s Move!, First Lady Michelle Obama has helped kids and families lead healthier lives by raising public awareness, supporting policy, and creating programs and partnerships to create a culture shift toward health. The First Lady embraced pop culture, engaged celebrities and athletes, and got involved on social media in her fun, authentic, and inspiring way in order to reach people where they are. As a result, several viral videos came to life.

As we near the end of the Obama Administration, we couldn’t help but look back at these moments. In no particular order, check out the top ten Let’s Move! videos below:

1) #TurnipForWhat

We will never forget when the First Lady danced with a turnip in response to a question during a Vine and Twitter Q&A:

2) Working out with the First Lady

In celebration of the fifth anniversary of Let’s Move!, the First Lady challenged everyone across the country to #GimmeFive ways they were eating better, being more active, and leading a healthier life. Throughout the challenge, many of the First Lady’s followers – and even President Obama – challenged her back, so she responded by sharing part of her workout routine:

3) #GimmeFive dance with Ellen DeGeneres

As part of the #GimmeFive challenge, the First Lady challenged Ellen DeGeneres to perform the #GimmeFive dance:

4) Teaming up with the Miami Heat

During their White House visit celebrating their 2013 championship win, then Miami Heat players LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh teamed up with the First Lady to highlight the importance of eating healthy and drinking water to perform like a champion:

5) Eat brighter! on Billy on the Street

The First Lady joined Big Bird and Billy Eichner of Billy on the Street to participate in one of Billy’s trivia games in the produce section of a grocery store to highlight the eat brighter! movement. Some unexpected things happened:

6) Kid “focus group” with Will Ferrell

The First Lady and Will Ferrell hosted a “focus group” with young kids to ask them about eating healthy and being active. Their responses were priceless:

7) Going bananas with Steph and Ayesha Curry

Steph and Ayesha Curry joined the First Lady for some fun to promote Team FNV:

8) #LetsMove: POTUS and VPOTUS edition

The First Lady encouraged people of all ages to show her how they move through eating more fruits and vegetables, getting physically active, or making other healthy changes. She said that if enough people participated on social media using #LetsMove, that the President and the Vice President would show us how they move. And sure enough, they did:

9) The history of exercise with Nick Offerman

Celebrating the 60^th anniversary of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, the First Lady and Nick Offerman showcased some of the popular fitness routines of the past 60 years:

10) Mom dancing with Jimmy Fallon (twice)

Throughout the Administration, Jimmy Fallon teamed up with the First Lady in support of Let’s Move!, helping to inspire Americans to stay active, eat healthy, and have fun. In 2013, the First Lady and Jimmy Fallon showcased the Evolution of Mom Dancing, which was such a hit that they brought it back two years later for the Evolution of Mom Dancing, Part 2:

Through all of our efforts over the past nearly seven years working together to build a healthier America, we’ve started to see progress. We put together one final video to show what the changes we’ve made might look like through the eyes of a child:

To see more great videos, check out the Let’s Move! YouTube page.

The Year in Review: Our Top 10 Favorite Let’s Move! Moments of 2016

bjacobsen — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 18:10:51 +0000

Posted by:

Kelly Miterko, Deputy Director, Let's Move!

As we near the end of 2016, we are reflecting back on all of the amazing Let’s Move! moments throughout the year. From the First Lady’s surprise garden visits and dedication of the White House Kitchen Garden to announcing the modernized Nutrition Facts label and hosting the first-ever fun run, we continued to make impactful progress, while also having some fun, in this final year of the Obama Administration.

We wanted to share with you our top ten favorite moments of 2016. In no particular order, check them out below:

1) Marketing MVP

Who would have thought just a few years ago that the first unanimously chosen NBA MVP, Steph Curry, would choose fruits, vegetables, and water as some of his product endorsements? Well, we are glad he has! Steph Curry and his wife, Ayesha, are members of Team FNV, and Steph also supports the Drink Up campaign. As a result, when they got together with the First Lady this year, they were up for some fun to promote making healthier choices through these marketing campaigns.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Ellen DeGeneres participate in a water balloon game with Stephan Curry during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in Burbank, California, Sept. 12, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

2) Touring gardens across the country

Highlighting the impact and benefits of diverse gardens throughout the nation, the First Lady kicked off her American Garden Tour by surprising students at local schools that participate in gardening programs and surprising a family that has made their backyard garden a community effort.

A few months later, Mrs. Obama set out to visit other gardens across the country, making stops at schools in Burke County, Georgia and Newark, New Jersey. The TODAY Show’s Al Roker joined for the visits and announced that the show was starting its very own mobile truck bed garden. The truck made two stops to the White House this year – first to pick up plants and seeds that are grown in the White House Kitchen Garden, and then several months later once everything had grown so the First Lady could see the progress.

3) Empowering parents

Parents play such an important role in helping kids lead healthier lives, so this year, the First Lady hosted a conversation with leading parent bloggers and online content creators. Mrs. Obama encouraged continued action and involvement in children’s health not only from the attendees, but from their collective millions of followers as well, saying, “If we want to keep seeing better food options for our families, then we need to keep raising our voices.”

In support of the "Let's Move!" initiative, leading parenting bloggers, online influencers, and content creators listen to First Lady Michelle Obama's remarks about children's health, in the East Room of the White House, March 15, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

4) Creating the first-ever White House fun run

As a new addition to the annual White House Easter Egg Roll this year, the First Lady hosted the first-ever fun run on the South Lawn. Since the start of the Administration, the Easter Egg Roll has been transformed to amplify Let’s Move! by incorporating activities for kids and their families to be active and learn about healthy eating, and this year we expanded on those activities by inviting 200 local students to participate in the fun run.

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in the final heat of the Fun Run during the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, March 28, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

5) Teaming up with Team USA

Making a surprise visit to Times Square, the First Lady joined U.S. Olympians, Paralympians, and Rio hopefuls at the U.S. Olympic Committee’s (USOC) 100 Day Countdown event to announce commitments from the USOC and several of its National Governing Bodies to get nearly two million American children active.

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks during the 2016 Olympics 100 Days Out event in Times Square, New York, N.Y., April 27, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

After the Summer Olympic Games had concluded, and it was time for the athletes to make their trip to the White House, the First Lady teamed up with four of the Final Five from the women’s gymnastics team for a little fun to promote FNV:

6) Announcing the modernized Nutrition Facts label

Found on nearly 800,000 products, the Nutrition Facts label had not been significantly updated since its initial release twenty years ago. This May, the First Lady announced the modernized Nutrition Facts label reflecting the latest science, the most relevant nutrition information, and a refreshed design.

7) Celebrating the National Park Service Centennial

This summer, the First Family headed west to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico and Yosemite National Park in California to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial. While in Yosemite, the President and First Lady visited with a group of fourth grade students to hand out their Every Kid in a Park pass, which any fourth grader in the country is able to obtain, and it grants them and their families free access to our country’s public lands and waters for a full year.

Yosemite National Park, California, June 18, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

8) Hosting the fifth annual Kids’ “State Dinner”

The First Lady continued the annual tradition she started in 2012 by once again hosting one of her favorite events at the White House, the Kids’ “State Dinner.” One student representing each U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia was selected as the winner of this year’s Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and had the opportunity to come to the White House to enjoy a delicious and nutritious lunch with Mrs. Obama.

Chef hats printed with the name and state of the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winners sit on shelves in the Cross Hall. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

9) Highlighting the history of exercise

Celebrating the 60^th anniversary of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, the First Lady and Nick Offerman showcased some of the popular fitness routines of the past 60 years in this hilarious video:

10) Dedicating the White House Kitchen Garden

Last, but certainly not least, this fall, the First Lady dedicated the White House Kitchen Garden, unveiling numerous updates to make the garden even more accessible to kids and world leaders alike and announcing that the Burpee Foundation and the W. Atlee Burpee Company generously provided support to the National Park Foundation to preserve and care for the garden into the future.

And who could forget President Obama stopping by the final garden harvest of this Adminstration where we had a reunion of folks who have worked with us over the years, along with students from across the country representing our Let's Move! programs.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama join students from "Let's Move!" programs and others for a group photo after the fall harvest in the White House Kitchen Garden, Oct. 6, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

It truly was a memorable year. What were your favorite Let’s Move! moments from this year? Share with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Every Kid in a Park Program will Reach Every School-age Child in the U.S. within 12 Years

bjacobsen — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 17:08:58 +0000

Posted by:

Sasha Bard Chamberlain, MS, RD, Associate Director, Let’s Move!

President Obama launched Every Kid in a Park in 2015 to protect our outdoor spaces and get young people outside. Through this program, every fourth grade student has the opportunity to receive a pass for them and their families to visit more than 2,000 public lands and waters for free for a full year.

To maintain the success of Every Kid in a Park and give every child access to our greatest classroom – the one without walls – for years to come, several federal agencies signed an agreement to keep the program running. After 12 years, every school-age child in the country will have had the chance to explore public lands and waters for free.

Alexander from Arizona, sent a letter to the President thanking him for a great year in 4^th grade where he got to visit Yosemite
National Park with his family. Read his letter on the White House Blog here.

First Lady Michelle Obama is also a big fan of the program, which gives young people the opportunity to be active in the great outdoors. In a new virtual reality video, the First Lady encourages students to participate in the program and take advantage of the opportunity to explore both urban and rural parks free of charge. Host Nolan Gould then takes viewers into two parks brought to life through the wonders of virtual reality. Check out the video here.

First Lady Michelle Obama talks about the Every Kid in a Park program in a new virtual reality video. Watch it now at everykidinapark.org.

During the program’s first year, everykidinapark.gov received more than a million visitors, and over two million passes were downloaded. We’ve reached almost every fourth grader in the U.S. through print and digital channels. Thanks to a combination of philanthropic and existing federal funding, transportation grants have enabled half a million fourth graders across the country to visit their public lands and waters through school field trips. We also just released a Spanish translation of the website.

There are many benefits of Every Kid in a Park: exposing children to natural beauty, cultivating an appreciation for our country’s cultural history, strengthening elementary school education and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.

To get involved, fourth grade students can follow these four easy steps:

Log onto the Every Kid in a Park website
Complete a fun, educational activity
Download a pass for them and their families
Visit public lands and waters for free for a full year!

Yosemite National Park, California, June 18, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The seven participating federal agencies where the pass can be used are U.S. Forest Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service.

Read more about the interagency commitment to keep the program running on the White House Blog here.

West Virginia District Demonstrates Healthy School Meals Progress

kdoohan — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 20:20:23 +0000

Posted by:

Jedd Flowers, Director of Communications, and Rhonda McCoy, Director of Food Services, Cabell County Schools

The transformation of Cabell County Schools’ Food Service Program hasn’t always been easy, but today, students are benefitting from healthy, well-balanced meals mostly made from scratch.

Here’s the scenario… Imagine you’re plugging along, making gradual improvements, and, suddenly, your city is named the “Unhealthiest City in America” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 2008 report stated that half the population of Huntington, West Virginia was obese; the region tied other areas in the country for the percentage of residents who didn’t exercise at 31%; the number of people with heart disease was at 22%; and the number of those with diabetes was 13%.

"The state and district had recognized this health crisis," says Rhonda McCoy, Food Services Director for Cabell County Schools. "We had already implemented some of the most stringent nutrition standards in the country and were steadily improving our school meals." By 2010, nearly 50% of the district’s meals were prepared from scratch, using fresh ingredients.

Cabell County student adding strawberries to his tray for lunch

"Our cooks have come together and have created many new recipes that the students love and that meet all nutrition standards," says McCoy. We're now preparing approximately 80% of our meals from scratch. We're also receiving improved products from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Donated Foods program as well working with local vendors and growers to provide fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meats for our meals."

And, beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the Cabell County Board of Education was able to approve free meals for all students by utilizing the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). This program has greatly increased the number of students taking advantage of healthy, school meals.

Cabell County student enjoying lunch

Cabell County’s Food Service program has seen such a transformation that it has become a model for other programs statewide, with the district's cooks providing training on their recipes and processes.

"We love our students and we are pleased to be offering them some of the best school meals in the country," says McCoy.

Obesity Decreasing Among Young Children in WIC

bjacobsen — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 20:55:23 +0000

Posted by:

Liping Pan, MD MPH, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, CDC

A new study shows that 34 states and territories reported modest decreases in obesity among young children from 2010-2014. Obesity among low-income children (aged 2-4 years old) enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) decreased from 15.9% in 2010 to 14.5% in 2014.

The findings come from a study jointly released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. This study follows additional research released in the last few years showing obesity rates declining among some of our youngest children in the United States.

“We are beginning to see some progress reducing childhood obesity in some areas, but more progress is needed,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH. “Only by accelerating and sustaining this trend, can we reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity.” Several factors may have contributed to this modest decrease in obesity among young children enrolled in the WIC program.

In 2009, USDA redesigned WIC food packages to align with the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In addition to improving the nutritional quality of WIC food packages, new regulations also led to better nutrition education and more healthcare referrals. Additionally, the revised WIC program better promotes and supports the establishment of successful long-term breastfeeding, provides WIC participants with a wider variety of healthy food options, and offers WIC state agencies greater flexibility in prescribing food packages to accommodate participants with cultural food preferences.
National, state, and local childhood obesity programs and reports helped raise awareness among various stakeholders, including parents, early care and education providers, community and business leaders, industry, health care providers, and public health officials. These included the First Lady’s national Let’s Move! initiative which launched in 2010 and the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations on early childhood obesity prevention.
CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity provided funding, training, and guidance to states, local health agencies, and daycare providers to help promote successful childhood obesity prevention strategies in early child and education settings.

For more information about CDC’s childhood obesity prevention efforts and the latest statistics, visit www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood.

Step It Up! Challenge Becomes Stampede for Better Health

bjacobsen — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 18:13:18 +0000

Posted by:

Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General

When I accepted Fitbit’s two-week Step It Up! Challenge, my hope was that we would tap into America’s competitive spirit and get everyone to walk more. The challenge was designed so that folks could team up and invite others to step it up, too. While some participants seemed to really enjoy competing and comparing their step count with mine, the real goal wasn’t about who walks more or less. It was about establishing a habit that would set us on a path to a stronger, healthier nation.

A screenshot from the Step It Up! Challenge dashboard shows how many steps were taken during the two week challenge.

The response was spectacular. According to Fitbit, a total of 615,390 people joined the challenge and, from October 13-26, we took almost 61 billion steps together! That’s enough to circle the planet 1,152 times. But the most important number of all might be 22. An average of just 22 minutes of brisk walking every day can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes -- both of which cost us dearly in terms of lives lost and health care dollars spent.

My thanks to everyone who stepped it up and walked or rolled their way to a healthier future, especially our “Mover-in-Chief,” First Lady Michelle Obama, who was kind enough to deliver a rousing pep talk to participants at the halfway point in the competition.

First Lady Michelle Obama cheered on the challenge participants in this video message.

Even though the challenge has ended, I hope everyone experienced how good it feels to make physical activity a part of their daily routine.

Expanding Farm to School through Salad Bars

bjacobsen — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 14:00:17 +0000

Posted by:

Emily Gallivan, Administrative & Programs Associate, Chef Ann Foundation

Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools celebrated National Farm to School Month the entire month of October, paying homage to the hard work and dedication of food service professionals, farmers and educators across the country who connect their communities with fresh, healthy and local food. And what better way to finish out the month than to highlight one of the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools grantees who is using school salad bars as a vehicle to drive farm to school forward: Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) in Madison, WI which serves 27,000 students across 50 schools. We sat down with Food & Nutrition Director Steve Youngbauer and Food Service Coordinator Dustin Lundt to find out more.

Youngbauer’s idea to introduce salad bars into the lunchrooms first sprouted in 2012. At the time, meal service was limited to pre-packaged choices and many kids barely touched the food, throwing much of it in the trash. It was Youngbauer’s hope that introducing salad bars would allow him to serve more fresh and healthy options that would appeal to kids. Since then, the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools program has donated 13 salad bars to MMSD to help them accomplish that goal.

An elementary student gets help building her salad from a garden bar decked out in farm to school signage.

The Growth of the “Garden Bar” Program

Recognizing the importance of providing local produce, Youngbauer and Lundt rebranded the “salad bars” as “garden bars”. They chose to define the program by focusing on the garden, a place where a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are grown, not just for salads, but for lots of healthy eating choices.

And what would a garden be without the harvest? The bars have allowed Madison Metropolitan to expand their local procurement efforts, now sourcing 20% of all produce from Wisconsin farmers. That means apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, sweet potatoes, and kohlrabi, all fresh from the farm. Madison “noticed that staple items can be cheaper when purchased locally.” “It’s really about finding the right balance with the farmers,” comments Lundt. Lundt manages the district’s relationships with eight farmers, who were eager to participate in the fledgling farm to school program.

MMSD staff members dress up as the vegetables they’re sampling out from the garden bar.

Nutrition Education

Another central pillar of MMSD’s Farm to School Program is education. The district partners with a local non-profit, Research, Education, Action, and Policy (REAP) Food Group, for much of their nutrition education, including farmer visits, which allow students to learn from the hardworking men and women who are growing their food. Recently, apple farmer Rufus Haucke of Keewaydin Farms visited the district. Amidst plenty of tasty samples of a dozen apple varietals, the students learned how apples grow. The benefit of this programming is that “students consume a lot more fruits and vegetables and are more comfortable with the garden bars,” says Youngbauer. MMSD has also taken advantage of grant opportunities, including Chef Ann Foundation’s Project Produce, to make more farm to school education possible.

Reaping the Benefits

Thanks to the program, Madison’s students have a genuine appreciation for the garden bars, and Youngbuaer is “seeing less waste because kids are able to make a choice about what they take.” And when those choices are taken away, students notice. One school recently closed their garden bar while undergoing construction and the kids voiced their dismay, repeatedly asking when it would be back.

MMSD has made great strides in their service of fresh food, and this is just the beginning of a more expansive farm to school program. They hope to add even more local produce to their garden bars and increase the number of farmers on their supplier list. For Youngbauer, “it’s a matter of looking at the program each year and thinking about how to make it better each year.” That is the kind of thinking that the farm to school movement is nurturing in schools across the country, and Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools is proud to be part of it.

Learn more about Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools here.

Marketing Works: Let’s Use it!

bjacobsen — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 13:25:04 +0000

Posted by:

Cathy Burns, President, Produce Marketing Association

As a mom with a teen and a tween at home, it’s my job to be sure they grow up healthy, smart, and strong. I’m alert to what they see and I watch what they watch. And let me tell you, when it comes to food marketing, they’re not seeing a lot about fresh fruits and vegetables.

We know marketing works – we can see it in efforts to sell everything from cars and phones to all sorts of foods. It works to drive awareness of products and deliver persuasive, compelling, and often behavior-changing routines on consumers, including our children.

I’m not disparaging marketing. Quite the contrary: At the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), we are committed to leveraging marketing as a discipline across our great industry. I believe we can and must harness the power of marketing to help families and children make fresh produce the healthy, easy and delicious choice!

Sesame Street characters are used to promote fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the eat brighter! campaign. Photo was taken in the Washington, D.C. area. (Photo Courtesy of PMA)

Our kids deserve our best, and I know that’s what all parents and caretakers want to give them. So we want to use marketing tools to shape their desire for fresh produce and two efforts that advance the goals of Let’s Move! are helping us do that—eat brighter!™and FNV.

The eat brighter! movement, a collaborative effort between Sesame Workshop, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and PMA, offers the produce industry an unprecedented opportunity to use Sesame Street characters royalty-free to market fresh fruits and vegetables to kids 2 to 5 years old and their families. FNV, executed by the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and supported by PMA, uses celebrities and modern communication to make fruits ‘n’ vegetables, aka FNV, into a cool, iconic brand for teens and tweens.

NFL Most Valuable Player Cam Newton is featured on an in-store advertisement for FNV - fruits ‘n’ vegetables. (Photo Courtesy of PHA)

I’m proud of what our industry has done to advance these initiatives and I call on our industry to do even more. At PMA, we are intent on broadening the reach of marketing for ideas like eat brighter! and FNV. Marketing works to help influence our kids and their parents to make fruits and vegetables a natural and enjoyable part of their daily lives to build their bodies, their minds, and bright, healthy futures.

Texas is Home to the First Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties All-Star

bjacobsen — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 13:43:24 +0000

Posted by:

Nick Wallace, Associate, Health and Wellness, Institute for Youth, Education and Families, National League of Cities

The City of McAllen, Texas, home to 136,639 residents living along the U.S‐Mexico border, has been named the first-ever Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC) All-Star, the highest achievement for participants of LMCTC. McAllen, in partnership with residents, governmental organizations, non-profits, and small businesses, has made physical activity and healthy eating an integral part of the city’s fabric through the creation of a bike-share program, the adoption of city design guidelines that encourage walking and other forms of physical activity, the expansion of farmers markets, and the launch of a Kids Marathon.

LMCTC All-Stars

Developed and launched in response to the demand for more advanced and challenging activities, the All-Stars program invites LMCTC sites that have reached gold medal status in all five LMCTC goal areas to participate. All-Star candidates pursue four out of eight possible evidence-based policy strategies. When an All-Star candidate has completed their four strategies, they become an LMCTC All-Star; McAllen, Texas is the first-ever LMCTC site to accomplish this feat.

Becoming a Bicycle Friendly Community: The McAllen Bike Share Program

Starting a bike share program wasn’t always a popular idea among local elected officials in McAllen. Initially, some were skeptical that such a program could be effective in a place where everyone travels by car. But seeing the success of bike share programs in large metro areas around the world, city officials in McAllen ultimately decided to create their own program, the first of its kind in the Rio Grande Valley. Launched in October of 2015, the bike program includes 80 bikes and 8 stations throughout the community.

McAllen residents posing outside one of the eight stations of the new B-cycle program.

Just one year after its inception, over 9,000 riders have used the city’s bike share program as a means of transportation, physical activity or leisure, for a total of more than 60,000 miles. In addition to increasing physical activity among its citizens (totaling 2.4 million calories burned), the McAllen B-cycle program is also directly responsible for improving environmental health, offsetting carbon emissions by an estimated 56,000 lbs. Additionally, the City of McAllen has equipped all city buses with storage space for bicycles and implemented more vehicle “slow zones” around trails and parks to encourage more active transportation, keeping their newly gained momentum around health and wellness moving forward.

One of the 8 stations of the McAllen B-Cycle Program

Promoting Physical Activity: The McAllen Marathon and Kids Marathon

To raise awareness about the importance of active living, the City created the annual McAllen Marathon in 2013. The marathon course was purposely designed to include parts of the McAllen hike and bike trails, which city officials say has been a great way to help market the more than 40 miles of newly created space designated for physical activity.

McAllen also sponsors an annual Kids Marathon, which features a free kickoff event to encourage and inspire children to exercise. The kickoff event encourages children to run (or walk) their first of 26.2 miles, which they log over the following 11 weeks at home and in PE class. At the end of the 11 weeks, children participate in the Final Mile event (which is held the day before the McAllen Marathon) where they receive a medal for their accomplishments.

The inaugural event in 2014 was met with overwhelming excitement, with over 5,500 children and parents attending. Anthony Robles, who become an NCAA wrestling champion despite being born with just one leg, served as the primary speaker for the event. The Kids Marathon is now held annually at the newly renovated McAllen Sports Park, and is paired with McAllen Independent School District’s Let's Move! Pep Rally. Check out the video of their awesome 2016 kickoff event here!

Several thousand children start their Final Mile run during the McAllen Kids Marathon at the McAllen Sports Park in 2015.

Increasing Healthy Food Access for All

Realizing that active living is just one piece of the health promotion puzzle, the City of McAllen has also adopted policy and programmatic changes to increase access to healthy, affordable foods. For example, the City of McAllen has expanded access to farmers markets, partnering with the McAllen Public Library in an effort to encourage the sustainable production and economic benefits of locally grown agricultural products. The McAllen Farmers Market provides consumers with opportunities to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, other food products, and locally created artisan craft goods. Additionally, the McAllen Farmers Market educates their residents on the benefits of eating healthy through cooking demonstrations and student presentations, which have created a center for community engagement.

Lead by Example

Jim Darling, the mayor of McAllen, Texas, has become a champion of these issues, famously riding his bike onto the stage before giving his “State of the City” address, in addition to releasing his McAllen running tour video that promoted the newly created McAllen hike and bike trails.

Mayor Darling arrives on his bike at the McAllen “State of the City” Address.

“Being designated an LMCTC All-Star is an honor and is proof that the programs and partnerships the city has in place are making a positive impact on the community,” said McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. “Events such as the Kids Marathon along with B-cycle, our bike share program and various parks and recreation programs put health and fitness at the forefront for our citizens.”

Since 2005, the National League of Cities has supported municipal leadership to prevent childhood obesity through site-level technical assistance, opportunities for peer learning and exchange, and dissemination of promising practices, working with over 500 sites during that timeframe; McAllen, Texas sticks out as one of the most dedicated. Through its completion of the LMCTC All-Stars program, McAllen has shown us that it is a community ready for change. A healthy atmosphere has been created, and the city residents have bought in. While the McAllen B-cycle program, in addition to the rise of farmers markets and school slow zones, have been very successful, the work has only just begun for the city.

Learn more about McAllen’s efforts and some of their lessons learned here.

Learn more about Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties here.

Celebrating Progress: National School Lunch Week 2016

sbard — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 20:46:08 +0000

Posted by:

Dr. Katie Wilson, Deputy Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, USDA

Ed. Note: This is a cross post from the USDA Blog. You can find the original post here.

Last week, children from more than a dozen schools and child care centers across the nation joined First Lady Michelle Obama for her final harvest of the White House garden. This event was more than just photo ops and shaking hands; kids got their hands dirty, harvesting the produce they later used to prepare a healthy meal. This was a neat experience for the students who participated, but it was also representative of the types of activities students are participating in all around the country. School gardens, nutritious snacks, farm to lunch tray meals, and nutrition education are all part of the healthier school environments students are experiencing each and every day.

Today kicks off National School Lunch Week 2016 and continues our month-long observance of Farm to School Month, and this year, there’s a lot to celebrate. More than 50 million children around the country attend schools that participate in USDA’s National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Not only are their meals full of nutritious foods – with 99 percent of schools nationwide reporting that they are successfully meeting the updated nutrition standards – their entire learning environment fosters healthy habits now and throughout the rest of their lives. The Smart Snacks Final Rule aligned the standards for snacks offered to students during the school day with the nutrition standards that apply to lunch and breakfast. In addition, the recently published Local School Wellness Policy Final Rule ensures that any food and beverage marketing kids are exposed to during the school day must adhere to the Smart Snacks standards, sending a consistent, positive message to students about the importance of healthy eating.

Dr. Wilson checks out the school garden at White Station High School in Tennessee.

We’re already seeing clear evidence of the progress made in school nutrition over the last number of years. Kids are eating significantly more fruits and vegetables: CDC research shows that nearly 80 percent of schools offer two or more vegetables at lunch, and according to a study by Harvard’s School of Public Health, consumption has increased by more than 16 percent! Also, more than 42,000 schools have farm to school initiatives, integrating local produce into their menus and teaching children more about where their food comes from.

Research shows that school-based programs that encourage healthy eating, physical activity, and positive attitudes toward body image are among a range of interventions that can help reduce childhood obesity. That’s why USDA is committed to providing schools and communities with the resources they need to help today’s children grow into tomorrow’s healthy leaders. Some of our newest resources include a Spanish language webinar for school nutrition professionals, and Team Nutrition’s MyPlate Guides to School Breakfast and School Lunch. We’re also continuing our “Team Up for School Nutrition Success” trainings, which provide in-person workshops for school nutrition professionals around the country and are seeing evidence of positive outcomes in states that have already participated in the training. Visit our website for additional resources, guidance, grant opportunities, trainings, and more.

Each and every day, school nutrition professionals strive to improve the health and wellness of our nation’s next generation. It is vital but often thankless work. This National School Lunch Week, I want to take a moment to give those men and women the recognition they deserve. Thank you for your hard work and dedication; you are the driving force of progress toward a healthier future, one child at a time.

To learn more about USDA’s work to implement healthy changes in schools under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, check out our infographic, The Impact and Legacy of USDA Nutrition Programs from 2009 to 2016 (pdf).

President Barack Obama Joins First Lady Michelle Obama for Her Final White House Kitchen Garden Harvest

sbard — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 19:40:28 +0000

Posted by:

Kelly Miterko, Deputy Director, Let’s Move!

President Obama stopped by the First Lady’s final harvest of the White House Kitchen Garden for this Administration. After greeting the students from across the country and special guests who had joined Mrs. Obama for the harvest, he took time to admire the new table, benches, arbor, and entryway which the First Lady unveiled during the garden dedication on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama checks out a young girl's harvest as he joins First Lady Michelle Obama, students from "Let's Move!" programs and others participating in the fall harvest in the White House Kitchen Garden, Oct. 6, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama checks out a boy's harvest as he joins First Lady Michelle Obama, students from "Let's Move!" programs and others participating in the fall harvest in the White House Kitchen Garden, Oct. 6, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama check out a picnic bench and table during the fall harvest in the White House Kitchen Garden, Oct. 6, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

President Barack Obama talks with Debra Eschmeyer, Executive Director of "Let's Move!" and former Executive Director of "Let's Move!" Sam Kass during the fall harvest in the White House Kitchen Garden, Oct. 6, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

At the harvest, it was a reunion of folks who have worked with us on our Let’s Move! efforts over the years, from school nutrition to food marketing to physical activity. In fact, three people who were here at the very beginning to help get the garden started, former Let’s Move! Executive Director Sam Kass, Former White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses, and White House Grounds Superintendent Dale Haney joined in on the fun. In addition, the First Lady also had help in the garden from Sesame Street’s Elmo and Rosita, NASA Astronaut Kjell Lindgren, Al Roker of The TODAY Show, Ashanti, Alonzo Mourning, Farmer and CEO of Growing Power Will Allen, Burke County School Nutrition Director Donna Martin, and President of the Produce Marketing Association Cathy Burns.

But of course the most important helpers are the students! Throughout the last seven and a half years, the First Lady has invited kids to work with her on planting and harvesting the garden. Kids that currently participate in Let’s Move! programs joined for the final harvest as did students from two local D.C. schools who regularly help in the garden, Bancroft Elementary School and Harriet Tubman Elementary School. In fact, two former Bancroft Elementary students, Tammy Nguyen and Dorotea Debelack, who were at the very first harvest in 2009 also came back to help for this special reunion.

Everyone was busy harvesting in the garden when the President stopped by. The First Lady and two students harvested sweet potatoes and then got a little help from Alonzo Mourning in the process. The other guests and students harvested a variety of different peppers, tomatoes, and beans in addition to okra, cucumbers, and eggplant.

First Lady Michelle Obama, Deb Eschmeyer, Executive Director of "Let's Move!" and students from "Let's Move!" programs participate in the fall harvest in the White House Kitchen Garden Oct. 6, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

Deb Eschmeyer, Executive Director of "Let's Move!," Alonzo Mourning, and students from "Let's Move!" programs participate in the fall harvest in the White House Kitchen Garden Oct. 6, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

After the President’s visit, using the produce straight from the harvest, Mrs. Obama, White House chefs, the students, and special guests prepared a delicious Grilled Flatbread with Basil Puree and Garden Vegetables. Once the meal was complete, everyone sat down beside the garden to enjoy and eat together.

First Lady Michelle Obama, Susie Morrison, Executive Pastry Chef and students from "Let's Move!" programs prepare a meal after the fall harvest of the White House Kitchen Garden, Oct. 6, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

Learn more about the various Let’s Move! programs and find out what’s happening around the country with this interactive map.

You can also learn more about the White House Kitchen Garden and follow along to see what’s growing on Instagram: @WHKitchenGarden.

In case you missed it, watch the First Lady’s remarks from the harvest below:

Fall Harvest Recipe: Grilled Flatbread with Basil Puree and Garden Vegetables

sbard — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 19:30:59 +0000

Posted by:

Sasha Bard, MS, RD, Associate Director, Let’s Move!

White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford and her team joined the First Lady, students from around the country, and some special guest helpers yesterday for the First Lady’s final Fall White House Kitchen Garden Harvest. Together they prepared Grilled Flatbread with Basil Puree and Garden Vegetables using ingredients grown in the White House Kitchen Garden and picked fresh that day. Yum!

This healthy spin on pizza uses grilled and raw vegetables as toppings. Combine that with some parmesan cheese and a pesto-like spread and you have a meal both kids and adults will love!

Vegetables harvested from the White House Kitchen Garden were used to make this Grilled Flatbread with Basil Puree and Garden Vegetables.

Check out the recipe below and try it out at home using ingredients that are local to your area. The recipe can be modified based on what is growing near you!

Grilled Flatbread with Basil Puree and Garden Vegetables

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the flatbread:

12 inch pizza dough, can use freezer dough
2 Tbsp olive oil

For the grilled vegetable topping:

1 eggplant, cut into coins, ½ inch thick
1 sweet potato, peeled, sliced thinly
1 red bell pepper, sliced, ¼ inch thick
2 butternut squash, peeled, sliced thinly
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

For the puree:

1 cup packed basil
2 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil

For the chopped salad:

2 cups of your favorite chopped vegetables, such as lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers
½ cup olive oil

Other:

Fresh basil, for garnish
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Toss the sliced vegetables (eggplant, sweet potato, red bell pepper, and butternut squash) in olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill until softened but still a bit crunchy. Set aside.

Make basil puree by blending fresh basil leaves and garlic in a food processor or blender. Slowly add the olive oil and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Flatten the pizza dough until about 1/8 inch thick. Brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and top with basil puree, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese and grilled veggies. Place back on the grill top and close the grill for a few minutes until the cheese melts. Remove from grill and top with the chopped salad. Garnish with fresh parmesan and basil. Slice into 8 serving pieces. Serve immediately.

First Lady Michelle Obama Dedicates White House Kitchen Garden and Highlights Impact of Let’s Move! on Healthy Living

kdoohan — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 21:39:36 +0000

Posted by:

Debra Eschmeyer, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition

Today, First Lady Michelle Obama dedicated the White House Kitchen Garden, unveiling numerous updates and announcing how the garden will be preserved into the future. Making the garden even more accessible to kids and world leaders alike, the updates include establishing a revised layout with a new threshold, an entryway with an arbor, a wider walkway, and a gathering area with a table and benches.

Underneath the new arbor rests an inscription stone, which reads:

WHITE HOUSE KITCHEN GARDEN

established in 2009 by

First Lady Michelle Obama

with the hope of growing a

healthier nation for our children

To preserve and care for the White House Kitchen Garden into the future, the Burpee Foundation and the W. Atlee Burpee Company generously provided support to the National Park Foundation.

“This garden represents the transformational change we’ve seen in just the past six and a half years, as well as our collective hopes for growing a healthier nation for our children,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

With the planting of the White House Kitchen Garden in 2009, the First Lady started a national conversation around the health and wellbeing of our country that evolved into her Let’s Move! initiative in February 2010. Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest years; giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices; providing healthier foods in our schools; ensuring families have access to healthy, affordable food; and, increasing physical activity.

Over the course of the Obama Administration, the White House Kitchen Garden has supplied fruits and vegetables to the First Family, guests at White House events, such as State Dinners, and for those in need in the local community. The First Lady has invited students from across the country to help in planting and harvesting the garden, and continuous improvements have been made to the garden since its inception. In 2014, a pollinator garden was planted to provide habitat for bees, butterflies, and birds as part of the Administration’s efforts to promote pollinator health. The garden has also grown in size, and with these latest changes, it now spans approximately 2,800 square feet.

The updates announced today took place through a cooperative agreement between the National Park Service, who care for the garden, and the University of Virginia School of Architecture, whose students and faculty designed the updated layout, along with the arbor, table, and benches. The structures contain wood and steel that were combined to make the elements stronger bonded together than when they stand alone.

Gathered from across the country, the wood was chosen for its durability and geographic diversity, with a few examples including Osage Orange from the South, White Oak from the Northeast, and Redwood from the Pacific Coast. The origins of some of the wood used also have historical significance:

Longleaf Heart Pine from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Virginia
Black Walnut from Montpelier, the home of James and Dolley Madison in Virginia
Longleaf Heart Pine from the home of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia

For more information on the history of growing food on the White House grounds and the evolution of the White House Kitchen Garden, please visit: go.nps.gov/WHKitchenGarden.

Through the Eyes of a Child: The Impact of Let’s Move!

sbard — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 12:21:49 +0000

Posted by:

Catherine Oakar, Associate Director, Let’s Move!

Ever wonder what the world today looks like through the eyes of a child?

Of course, it can be vastly different from state to state, city to city, neighborhood to neighborhood, and family to family. But, as we reflect on the past six and a half years of Let’s Move! and our collective efforts to raise a healthier generation, we’re taking a step back to think about how the changes we’ve made have impacted the day-to-day life of a child. This means looking beyond the policy, the programs and the partnerships, and considering the tangible changes that an everyday American kid might see or experience as a result of our work!

Check out our new animated video, narrated by First Lady Michelle Obama, which shows a glimpse of what we, together, have strived for the world to look like through the eyes of a child. Take a look and “see” for yourself!

We’ve made amazing progress and have much to be proud of. As the First Lady notes, there’s much more work to be done to ensure all kids can grow up healthy and have the bright futures they so deserve. She's counting on all of our partners— from corporations to communities— to help carry this work forward.

National Farm to School Month Highlights Benefits to America’s Students and Communities

sbard — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 15:44:57 +0000

Posted by:

Deborah Kane, Director, Office of Community Food Systems, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Ed. Note: This is a cross post from the USDA Blog. You can find the original post here.

It’s National Farm to School Month and USDA’s Office of Community Food Systems is here to help…and not just in October! All year long, we offer research, grants, training and technical assistance to help connect child nutrition programs with local foods. Here’s why.

Farm to school helps form healthy habits. By incorporating local foods, farm to school programs help school meal programs fulfill the updated nutrition standards with appealing and diverse offerings. And the results are impressive. The recent 2015 USDA Farm to School Census shows farm to school programs now exist in every state in the nation and in every type of school district – large and small, rural and urban alike. With that in mind, we plan to build on this momentum!

The local foods offered through farm to school programs help school meal programs fulfill the updated nutrition standards with appealing and diverse offerings.

There are many ways USDA supports schools meals through farm to school efforts. We offer resources to help ensure child nutrition program operators have the knowledge necessary to integrate local foods into their day to day operations. Our Farm to School Planning Toolkit provides resources for starting or growing a program and is filled with tips and examples, insights from others, and lists of resources for further research. There’s also countless recommendations on local foods in schools, activities like school gardens, grant opportunities, and farm to preschool tips – because it’s never too soon to start forging healthy habits.

This investment in the health of America’s students through farm to school programming is also an investment in the health of local economies. The Census results found that strong farm to school programs can increase the number of students purchasing school breakfast and lunch, improve consumption of healthier foods at school, and reduce plate waste. Equally important, millions of children are learning about where their food comes from and being exposed to lessons about healthy eating. And while all these great things are taking place, our nation’s farmers, ranchers, fishermen, as well as food processors and manufacturers, benefit from the relationship with school districts.

USDA is committed to bringing more local food into school meals, promoting healthy eating habits and expanding markets for American farmers and producers. To best support that commitment, the USDA Farm to School Grant Program assists eligible entities in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. Competitive grants up to $5 million are provided annually for training, supporting operations, planning, purchasing equipment, developing school gardens, developing partnerships, and implementing farm to school programs. And last month (September) we began accepting applications for Fiscal Year 2017 Farm to School Grant Funding.

From taste tests in the cafeteria and nutrition education activities in the classroom, to farm visits and school garden harvest parties, schools, early care and education sites, farms, communities and organizations throughout the nation are catching on to the farm to school movement. Bringing the bounty of America’s farms into schools and onto breakfast and lunch trays is one of the best ways we can ensure students are receiving nutritious and delicious meals at school. And that’s worth celebrating all year long.