Michelle Obama has been tackling the US child obesity problem with full force, and just recently companies like Coca-Cola and General Mills agreed to eliminate 1 trillion calories from their foods and beverages by 2012, and 1.5 trillion by 2015. Obama is very pleased. To compliment the manufacturers’ efforts, the first lady gives kids and parents three simple suggestions on how to live healthy:
1. Limit soda and energy drinks. Kids are drinking four times the soda that kids did 20 years ago. More kids are drinking so-called energy drinks that are loaded with caffeine and sugar. Sodas and energy drinks are okay once in a while, but not with every meal. Kids should drink more water and milk.
2. Limit TV, video games and other screen time. Studies show that the average kid spends 45 hours a week — that’s more than six hours a day — with media such as TV, movies, the Internet and video games. Kids who do a lot of screen time are more likely to be heavy. That makes sense, because when you’re playing most video games or watching TV, you aren’t moving around very much.
3. Play sports. The first lady’s program is called “Let’s Move.” I think the best way to get moving is to play sports. So join the swim team. Shoot some hoops. Throw a Frisbee around. Play catch. Take up golf or tennis.
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