Newsmotion - Healthy Kids

Weekly Wrap Up: “We Have Not Forgotten”

feed — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:42:26 +0000

Weekly Wrap Up: “We Have Not Forgotten”

Fri, 04/05/2013

Easter Egg Roll: On Monday, the First Family welcomed more than 30,000 guests to the South Lawn for the 135th annual White House Easter Egg Roll. The event was filled with activities ranging from the traditional Easter Egg Roll to readings from stars such as Danica Patrick, Adrian Peterson, and even Elmo.

The theme of “Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You,” was inspired by the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative, which seeks to solve the problem of childhood obesity. You can find demonstrations of healthy recipes from top chefs here and learn more about the Let’s Move! initiative here.

This year’s special guest was Robbie Novak -- better known as Kid President. Be sure to also check out a special presidential video message from April 1.

Guns: On Thursday, President Obama traveled to Colorado to urge the American people to push Congress to vote on a set of common-sense proposals to help reduce gun violence. The President wants to close loopholes in the background check system to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and others who shouldn’t have them -- and prevent mass shootings like the one that killed 20 young children and six adults in Newtown, CT.

“If you want to buy a gun, whether it's from a licensed dealer or a private seller, you should at least have to pass a background check to show you're not a criminal or someone legally prohibited from buying one,” said the President. “And that's just common sense.”

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/05/weekly-wrap-we-have-not-forgotten

Let’s Move! White House Social: Easter Egg Roll

feed — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:04:40 +0000

Let’s Move! White House Social: Easter Egg Roll

Thu, 03/21/2013

Ed. Note: This is a cross post from the blog of LetsMove.gov. You can find the original post here.

We're excited to announce that our next White House Social will be a Let's Move! Social here, at the White House. On Monday, April 1st, 2013, the First Family will host the 135th annual White House Easter Egg Roll with the theme "Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!" We are inviting Let's Move! followers on Twitter and Facebook and their children, ages 5 - 13, to join the fun on the South Lawn and of course to share their experience with their followers! The day's activities -- which will include sports and cooking demonstrations -- will help educate families on smart ways to incorporate healthy eating and exercise choices into their daily routines, key pillars of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative.

Interested in joining? Sign up for your chance to join other @LetsMove followers for the White House Easter Egg Roll at WhiteHouse.gov/Social

In order to apply, you must follow @LetsMove on Twitter or Facebook and you must have children ages five to thirteen. After you sign up for your chance to attend, spread the word! Let your followers know that you submitted your entry for the #WHSocial and tell us @LetsMove. Be sure to sign up soon! Registration closes on Friday, March 22nd at 12:00 p.m. EDT.

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/20/let-s-move-white-house-social-easter-e...

Weekly Wrap Up: “We Don’t Have a Moment to Waste”

feed — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:08:47 +0000

Weekly Wrap Up: “We Don’t Have a Moment to Waste”

Fri, 03/15/2013

Watch the West Wing Week here.

International Courage Awards: Last Friday, the First Lady joined Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department for the International Women of Courage Awards—where nine different women were honored. The event was a celebration of the strength and sacrifice of individuals who have worked tirelessly for the advancement of women’s rights for all.

Trade Export Council: On Tuesday, President Obama touched base with business and government leaders at a meeting of the President’s Export Council.

“The good news is we are well on our way to meeting a very ambitious goal that we set several years ago to double U.S. exports,” said the President. “And what we know is, is that a lot of the growth, a lot of the new jobs that we've seen during the course of this recovery, have been export-driven.”

To maintain and ignite growth, President Obama discussed finishing new trade deals with Europe and the Asia-Pacific. The Administration signed legislation in 2011 supporting free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama which has kept America competitive in foreign trade, while creating jobs for Americans.

Sultan of Brunei: On Tuesday, President Obama welcomed His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei to the Oval Office for a bilateral meeting to share their desire for “a strong, peaceful, prosperous Asia-Pacific region.”

Brunei, a small country in the South China Sea, will be holding the ASEAN East Asia Summit meeting in October. The visit is a symbol of the President’s goal of working towards a peaceful and prosperous presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/15/weekly-wrap-we-don-t-have-moment-waste

Weekly Wrap Up: “This is Your Victory”

feed — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:33:10 +0000

Weekly Wrap Up: “This is Your Victory”

Fri, 03/08/2013

Watch the West Wing Week here.

Violence Against Women Act: On Thursday, President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Act of 2013, which provides resources for thousands of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The renewed version of the law extends to protect LGBT victims, immigrants, Native Americans and victims of sex-trafficking. The act will ensure victims and survivors will have the resources they need. With survivors and advocates standing behind him President Obama recognized the significance of the day:

But everybody on this stage worked extraordinarily hard. Most of all, though, this is your day. This is the day of the advocates; the day of the survivors. This is your victory.

Watch President Obama and Vice President Biden deliver remarks at the signing.
Read the remarks by President Obama and Vice President Biden here.

First Cabinet Meeting: On Monday, President Obama opened the 17th Cabinet meeting of his presidency and the first of the new term. The President welcomed to the table his newest cabinet members, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. In his remarks, President Obama shared his deep concerns of the harmful and automatic budget cuts known as the sequester and advocated for bipartisan solutions so Americans can be poised for progress:

So one of the things that I’ve instructed not just my White House but every agency is to make sure that, regardless of some of the challenges that they may face because of sequestration, we’re not going to stop working on behalf of the American people to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to continue to grow this economy and improve people’s prospects.

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/08/weekly-wrap-your-victory

Hanging Out with First Lady Michelle Obama

feed — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:52:34 +0000

Hanging Out with First Lady Michelle Obama

Mon, 03/04/2013

Ed. note: This post was originally published on the official Let's Move! website.

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in the “Let’s Move!” Google+ Hangout in the Blue Room of the White House. March 4, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Earlier today, First Lady Michelle Obama joined her first ever Google+ Hangout live from the Blue Room of the White House. Continuing our series of “Fireside Hangouts” on Google+, Mrs. Obama participated in a virtual conversation about Let’s Move!, her initiative to ensure our nation’s kids grow up healthy and reach their full potential.

During the Hangout, the First Lady discussed the new Let’s Move! Active Schools program designed to bring physical activity back to schools, the importance of family dinner, steps to get healthier lunches into schools – and favorite dance moves (of course, it’s the dougie. And yes, everyone in the hangout dougied together.) Watch the full video:

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/04/hanging-out-first-lady-michelle-obama

Join First Lady Michelle Obama in Google+ Hangout about Let’s Move! on Monday

feed — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:19:33 +0000

Join First Lady Michelle Obama in Google+ Hangout about Let’s Move! on Monday

Sun, 03/03/2013

Ed. note: This post was originally published on the official Let's Move website. You can read that post here.

Last week, First Lady Michelle Obama traveled around the country to celebrate the third anniversary of Let’s Move!, her initiative to ensure that all our children grow up healthy and reach their full potential.

Mrs. Obama highlighted great progress being made in schools, towns and businesses across America. She also announced several new programs that will help families make healthier choices and will enable our kids to be more physically active, including a new MyPlate partnership that identifies recipes that meet USDA nutrition standards on the largest food sites on the web, and the launch of Let's Move Active Schools, which empowers schools to find free or low-cost ways to incorporate movement before, during, and after the school day.

On Monday, March 4th at 11:10 a.m. ET, the celebration continues as the First Lady joins her first ever Google+ Hangout.

Mrs. Obama will participate in a completely virtual conversation from the Blue Room of the White House, speaking with families from around the country. The hangout will be moderated by Kelly Ripa, co-host of LIVE with Kelly and Michael, and we hope you’ll join, too!

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/03/join-first-lady-michelle-obama-google-...

First Lady Michelle Obama Launches Let's Move Active Schools

feed — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

First Lady Michelle Obama Launches Let's Move Active Schools

Fri, 03/01/2013

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a “Let’s Move! Active Schools” event with athletes and students at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., Feb. 28, 2013. The First Lady called on leaders to support schools’ efforts to ensure all kids get the physical activity they need to stay healthy and succeed in school. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

According to First Lady Michelle Obama, Thursday was "a groundbreaking, earth-shattering, awesomely-inspiring day." That's because Mrs. Obama was in Chicago to announce the launch Let’s Move Active Schools, an unprecedented effort to bring physical education back to America’s schools.

The problem is severe -- we are raising the most sedentary generation in history. Only six states require P.E. in all grades, and only one in three kids is physically active on a daily basis. In addition to the health risks associated with an inactive lifestyle, including diabetes and obesity, physical activity has been shown to lower anxiety and stress, and fight depression. In addition, physically active kids do better in school, with studies showing that physical activity enhances important skills, like concentration and problem solving, which have been shown to improve academic performance.

Let’s Move! Active Schools is designed to address these challenges by spurring innovative solutions and offering customized support every step of the way. It empowers schools to find free or low-cost ways to incorporate movement before, during, and after the school day. And thanks to funding and other resources being provided by NIKE, Inc., the GENYOUth Foundation, ChildObesity180, Kaiser Permanente, and the General Mills Foundation, schools can connect to grant opportunities, online resources, personal assistance, and hands-on professional development. The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD) and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation are the managing organizations guiding the development and implementation of the program.

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/01/first-lady-michelle-obama-launches-let...

Michelle Obama: The Business Case for Healthier Food Options

feed — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:30:27 +0000

Michelle Obama: The Business Case for Healthier Food Options

Thu, 02/28/2013

Ed. note: This op-ed by First Lady Michelle Obama was first published by the Wall Street Journal

For years, America's childhood obesity crisis was viewed as an insurmountable problem, one that was too complicated and too entrenched to ever really solve. According to the conventional wisdom, healthy food simply didn't sell—the demand wasn't there and higher profits were found elsewhere—so it just wasn't worth the investment.

But thanks to businesses across the country, today we are proving the conventional wisdom wrong. Every day, great American companies are achieving greater and greater success by creating and selling healthy products. In doing so, they are showing that what's good for kids and good for family budgets can also be good for business.

Take the example of Wal-Mart. In just the past two years, the company reports that it has cut the costs to its consumers of fruits and vegetables by $2.3 billion and reduced the amount of sugar in its products by 10%. Wal-Mart has also opened 86 new stores in underserved communities and launched a labeling program that helps customers spot healthy items on the shelf. And today, the company is not only seeing increased sales of fresh produce, but also building better relationships with its customers and stronger connections to the communities it serves.

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/28/michelle-obama-business-case-healthier...

Let's Move Tour Day 1: Cafeteria Cook-off

feed — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 03:16:36 +0000

Let's Move Tour Day 1: Cafeteria Cook-off

Wed, 02/27/2013

Ed. note: This was originally published on the Let's Move website. You can see the original post here

Today, Rachael Ray joined First Lady Michelle Obama and 400 elementary school students in Clinton, Mississippi to celebrate the new, healthier school meals being served in cafeterias across the country. Two teams -- cafeteria chef Fannie and celebrity chef Sunny Anderson versus cafeteria chef Wendy and celebrity Ryan Scott -- competed in a Let's Move! Cafeteria Cook-off to make the most delicious, healthy school lunch.

Rachael Ray and Mrs. Obama watched as student judges scored the lunches from blind taste tests. Before the winner was announced, the First Lady applauded the work of Fannie, Wendy, and their peers in school cafeterias across the country.

“These are major, major achievements. And I know that getting to this point hasn’t been easy. I know that a lot of folks had to put in a lot of time and effort to make all this possible. And I’m particularly proud of all of the school chefs, the food service workers at schools like this one all across this state, and all across this country. And I want to take time to recognize those folks in the kitchen who do the hard work of cooking for our kids and loving every minute of it. When we passed historic legislation to improve school lunches for the first time in 15 years, these were the folks who had to totally transform their menus in a matter of months. They went from frying to baking. They had to work with totally new ingredients. And they had to satisfy both strict nutrition requirements and, as we know, picky eaters.”

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/27/lets-move-tour-day-1-cafeteria-cook

Let's Move Anniversary News: Recipe Partnership Makes It Easy for Families to Eat Healthier at Home

feed — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:07:10 +0000

Let's Move Anniversary News: Recipe Partnership Makes It Easy for Families to Eat Healthier at Home

Tue, 02/26/2013

First Lady Michelle Obama, along with Robin Roberts and chef Marcus Samuelsson, participate in a “Good Morning America” cooking segment at the GMA Studios in New York, N.Y., Feb. 22, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Ed. note: this post was originally published on the official Let's Move website. You can read it here

MyPlate is one of the easiest ways to learn about healthy eating. It's simple to look at the icon and recognize how to pile up your own plate. But can you cook with it? Mrs. Obama thinks so. Today, the First Lady joined Robin Roberts and Chef Marcus Samuelsson on Good Morning America to announce a new partnership that highlights healthier recipes that align with MyPlate.

Your favorite recipe sites -- and Pinterest, an online tool millions use to find the inspiration for their lives-- have teamed up with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) to make it easier to find healthier recipes online. Each of the sites will indicate which of their recipes meet nutrition guidance from the US Department of Agriculture, meaning you can now find delicious MyPlate-inspired recipes on the sites you already visit for cooking inspiration. Thousands of recipes will also be featured on new Pinterest boards that launched today. This one-stop-shop for home cooks will give parents the information and tools they need to make healthy choices for their families.

"As a mom, I know how challenging it can be to think of new meal ideas that your kids will like and that will be good for them,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “This partnership takes the guess work out of finding healthier recipes and gives parents the information and the tools they need to make healthy choices for their families every day.”

Story URL:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/26/lets-move-anniversary-news-recipe-part...