Health Law and Regulation

HHS Teams Up with Olympic Athletes to Fight Childhood Obesity

More than a dozen Olympic athletes are helping the HHS to combat the challenge of childhood obesity by providing the American public with tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Childhood obesity and excess weight threatens the healthy future of one third of American children.

HHS recently released the first in a series of Web videos and public service announcements to promote first lady Michelle Obama’s national initiative, Let’s Move, to solve childhood obesity within a generation. In these videos, current and former Olympians urge parents and kids to incorporate physical activity and nutritious foods into everyday life. The new Web videos, featured on the Let’s Move Web site, www.LetsMove.gov, remind Americans that they don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to be active, eat right and maintain a healthy weight. The Web videos include messages from two-time Olympic medalist figure skater Michelle Kwan, 2010 skeleton racer Noelle Pikus-Pace and 2010 Olympic snowboarder Louie Vito. Later this month, HHS will release the new Let’s Move public service announcements featuring former and current Olympians.

Right now, one in three American children are overweight or obese. Each year, the United States spends an estimated $147 billion to treat obesity-related conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Research indicates that if the U.S. does not address this public health crisis, this could be the first generation of children to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.

Click here to learn more and view the videos.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 3, 2010