First lady Michelle Obama’s campaign for a healthier nation is taking on a new field. She visited Fort Jackson outside Columbia to urge the members of the armed forces to be exemplary of a healthy lifestyle. Mrs. Obama said that a lack of physical fitness among Americans is “not just a health issue but a national security issue.”
The national obesity crisis has created recruitment problems for the military, which struggles to train unfit recruits. Although the U.S. Army has deployed new fitness tactics to cope with the issue, Lt. Gen. Mark Herling says the unhealthy habits start very early. He cites too much time in front of TV and computer screens and the rise of soft drinks as particular problems. The changes in the program include healthier foods and more emphasis on core-muscle training, to prevent injury.
In addition to her Let’s Move! program, Michelle Obama is encouraging Americans to support U.S. Military families. She made her first talk-show television appearance today on The Oprah Winfrey Show to announce that she and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, plan to launch a campaign to help the families of our men and women at arms in March.
Via NY Daily News.
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