May 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 52

f e at u r e

On the front line in the fight against childhood obesity.
By Rachel Roberts

Taking
a Bite Out
T

hough being a First Lady has its challenges,

it also has prompted many serving in the role to take up a cause important to the country. Lady
Bird Johnson worked on environmental protection and beautification of lands; Pat Nixon encouraged Americans to volunteer; and Nancy Reagan founded the " Just Say No " drug campaign.
Michelle Obama recently launched her own crusade-the " Let's Move " campaign to challenge
families to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Her cause may be the most ambitious to date:
to solve the childhood obesity epidemic within a
generation. The statistics paint a shocking picture
of how hard this may be to combat. The 2007-2008
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 17 percent of youth ages 2-19
are obese. This rate has tripled from 1970. In addition, low-income children or children who are minorities have even higher rates of obesity.
Melissa Hanson, president and CEO of the Sajai
Foundation, says that childhood obesity rates soar
to 30 percent or more in 30 states. " We know that
childhood obesity is cross-cutting, it's pervasive,
and we need to reach kids now instead of reacting to

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a situation later. " The foundation works with community partners like park and recreation agencies to
help them teach children about how to live a healthier lifestyle.
" Park and recreation sites are definitely a critical venue, " she says. " It is a place where youth leaders can interact and reinforce important messages
about health. " Hanson adds that in addition to providing a place to get active, many park and recreation agencies also serve as food sites under the
federal Summer Food Service Program.
In 2009, more than 129 million meals were
served nationally during the summer months across
almost 35,000 sites, many of them being parks or
recreation centers. Rachel Tolbert Kimbro is an



May 2010 - Parks & Recreation

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