First Lady addresses childhood obesity

First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the issue of childhood obesity in an address before the U.S. Conference of Mayors today.  According to the Baltimore Sun:

She said nearly one-third of U.S. children now are overweight or obese. She said one-third of today's children eventually will suffer from diabetes, and, in the African American and Latino communities, the proportion will be almost half.

Obesity, she said, "could now be an even greater threat to America's health than smoking." And if the nation stays on its current path, nearly 50 percent of all Americans will be obese in 10 years - "not just overweight, but obese."

Obama singled out Columbia, MO's system of bicycling and walking trails and routes as one of the effective programs going on around the nation.

[Chicago Mayor] Daley praised the speech as "very good," and said cities are talking about the issues Obama raised, including increasing access to quality foods and grocery stores and promoting exercise.

And he said, in answer to a question, that he thinks mayors will heed Obama's call to get involved in the fight since "it's an issue that strikes all families."

Obama is planning to unveil a major anti-obesity plan next month.

An article on BikePortland.org makes the specific connection between Obama's anti-obesity campaign and programs to promote bicycling and walking, like Safe Routes to School:

Anyone who has spent time in the bike advocacy world knows that the obesity epidemic is often thrown around as a key reason why our country needs to put a higher priority on biking. So, is the First Lady’s focus on obesity and “healthy families” something to get excited about?

I put that question to the State Network Director of the Safe Routes National Partnership, Robert Ping. Ping works out of an office in North Portland and is the former Safe Routes to School coordinator for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance.

Ping said not only will Obama’s presence help, but it will also give momentum to the $500 million childhood obesity project that his organization is working on with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. That project looks to reverse the obesity epidemic by 2015.

The Missouri Foundation for Bicycling and Walking has been selected to organize and operate the Missouri State Network for Safe Routes to School, which is organized under the Safe Routes National Partnership.

The Missouri SRTS Network will work for policy change to promote Safe Routes to School in Missouri and make the program more effective.  If you'd like to participate in the Missouri SRTS Network, just email director@mobikefed.org.

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