First Lady Michelle Obama takes center stage at the White House today. She'll launch a campaign against childhood obesity.
Trying to change the way kids eat and exercise is going to be Mrs. Obama's main cause. She says they spend too much time in front of computer screens and not enough time riding bikes and running around.
Tuesday, she meets with Cabinet members, business leaders and sports and entertainment figures to promote healthier lifestyles for kids. She says experts tell her, if nothing changes, today's children will die at younger ages than their parents.
The First Lady says serving healthier foods isn't the only thing schools can do. They can add more time for recess and physical education, too.
This campaign is also a matter of money. Schools say they need more federal funds to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains for school lunches. The trouble is tax dollars are in short supply because of the massive federal deficit.
Last year, we saw Mrs. Obama put in a vegetable garden at the White House. That was the first sign that she was getting serious about the childhood obesity epidemic. D.C. school kids helped her plant the garden and harvested food to take home. And some of the vegetables have been served at the White House. Her hope is that kids will find that growing some of their own food is fun and better for them.
