Obesity in the Untied States has reached epidemic levels. Common causes of obesity are: consumption of unhealthy foods, lack of physical activity, and general overconsumption.

In an effort to combat childhood obesity, first lady Michelle Obama launched “Let’s Move”, a campaign geared to teach young people across the country the importance of nutrition and exercise.

Increased physical activity, healthier food in schools around the country, and correcting inaccurate labeling on food products are at the heart of the program. Some of her objectives, like tax breaks for grocery stores who move to poorly served communities, will require assistance from Congress.

Obesity has been a sensitive subject for many years now. Experts claim that obesity will eventually become the number one preventable causes of death in the world, overtaking cigarette smoking. In fact, some experts are already claiming that obesity has climbed to the top of the list.

To improve nutrition in schools, Obama plans to seek action from Congress in hopes of ridding vending machines that contain snacks and sugary drinks. One of her goals is for schools to serve more fruits, vegetables and grains, while eliminating access to candy, cakes, sodas, and salty foods.

Bigger reimbursements for schools who offer breakfast for students are also being pushed by the Obama administration, as many schools do not offer this service to their students.

Unhealthy school lunches and snacks have long been a contributing factor in childhood obesity. Many experts say that kids who eat lunch at school are just as likely to become overweight as kids who do not eat school lunches. Some even go as far as saying that school lunches are no healthier than eating meals from fast-food restaurants.

Increasing physical activity in children to 60 minutes each day is another key initiative in the Obama plan. This may prove to be a tall order in an era where cell phones, televisions, and computer dominate most kids’ lives.

Obesity accounts for many diseases, including: diabetes, stroke, kidney failure, liver disease, hypertension, and countless other ailments. Over 40 million Americans are obese, while 3 million are considered morbidly obese. There has been a 78% increase in the number of Type II diabetes cases since 1990, mostly blamed on the obesity epidemic. Obesity is directly related to nearly 70 percent of all heart-related diseases. It is estimated that 30 percent of children are obese, whereas twenty years ago only 4 percent of children in the Untied States were considered obese.