First lady Michelle Obama is on a mission to make health and exercise something you think about daily. Her "Let's Move" campaign is now five-years-old. She's taken a TV-friendly approach to her signature issue. There have been push-up competitions with Ellen Degeneres...and the "evolution of mom dancing" with Jimmy Fallon.
But has the high-profile publicity campaign actually led to a change in how kids eat?
Suzanne Malveaux reports.
--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
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B-BALL, TENNIS, AND BUSTING A MOVE AT THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY.
AT THE EASTER EGG ROLL--FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA---MARKED FIVE YEARS OF HER LETS MOVE CAMPAIGN--
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BY ISSUING ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
(Michelle Obama/First Lady)
"we're asking american of all ages to give me five ways they're leading a healthy life. five jumping jacks, eating five new vegetables, my doing a 'gimme 5 dance."
YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN IT ON ELLEN.
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OR PERHAPS DURING HER MOM DANCING WITH JIMMY FALLON.
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PLENTY OF A-LIST CELEBS FROM BIG BIRD
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TO THE "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE ALL-STARS" ARE IN ON THE ACTION.
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BUT IS THE 4.5 BILLION DOLLAR "LET'S MOVE" CAMPAIGN SHRINKING CHILDHOOD OBESITY?
WHEN THE FIRST LADY LAUNCHED LETS MOVE IN 2010---AMERICA'S KIDS WERE IN TROUBLE.
12.7 million children were obese.
TWO YEARS INTO THE CAMPAIGN---MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WERE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE.
TODAY---THE RESULTS ARE MIXED.
THE GOOD NEWS----FROM 2010 TO 2O12 CHILDHOOD OBESITY AMONG CHILDREN 2 TO 5 YEARS OLD---HAS DROPPED BY 3.7 PERCENT.
THE BAD NEWS----FOR CHILDREN 12 TO 19 YEARS OLD OBESITY HAS INCREASED.
THROUGH HER WHITE HOUSE GARDEN, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS, OBAMA HAS ALSO PUSHED GOOD NUTRITION.
BUT IT'S BEEN AN UPHILL BATTLE.
WHEN OBAMA INITIALLY TRIED TO UP THE NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS IN THE FEDERAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, WHICH SERVES 31 MILLION CHILDREN---SHE WAS FACED WITH A REBELLION.
KIDS TWEETING OUT PICTURES OF THE MANDATORY FRUITS AND VEGGIES---CALLING THEM GROSS AND YUCKY MYSTERY MUSH.
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ULTIMATELY THE FEDERAL PROGRAM HAD TO LOOSEN SOME OF ITS RULES.
So we want to know, how do you stay healthy? Give us some examples of ways you live a healthy lifestyle and we'll post some of your responses on next week's program.
Speaking of lunchtime and something that's not very healthy...kids aren't just trading lunches anymore, many are skipping the meal. A new analysis of a national health and nutrition survey that evaluated the eating patterns of over 3,000 children found that ditching lunch is common among children ages four through 13. The study, funded by Nestle, suggests 13 percent of younger children and 17 percent of nine to 13-year-olds skip lunch on a given day, including weekends.
These findings are of particular concern given that lunch skippers had lower intakes of nutrients, including calcium and fiber, than lunch consumers.