[Press Release] : Mayor Hindman supports first lady Obama's ‘Let's Move’ obesity reduction program

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2010

CONTACT: Mayor Darwin Hindman
(573) 864-7895 (cell)
(573) 874-7222 (office)
(573) 449-5227 (home)

Mayor Hindman supports first lady Obama's ‘Let's Move’ obesity
reduction program	
							
	(COLUMBIA, MO) - Yesterday, first lady Michelle Obama launched a
nationwide movement called “Let's Move,” to solve the problem of
childhood obesity within a generation. Mayor Darwin Hindman announced
that he supports the movement and that
Columbia is and has been a national leader in this effort.
	The first lady's announcement pointed out that due to the rising
levels of childhood obesity, our nation's youngest generation may
actually live shorter lives than their parents. She said that over the
past three decades childhood obesity rates in the country have tripled
and that excess weight and obesity threaten the health of one out of
every three American children. She also said that we spend $150 billion
every year on the treatment of obesity-related chronic diseases such as
diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and asthma.
	With the “Let's Move” movement the first lady encourages
involvement by the public, non-profit and private sectors, as well as
parents and youth. She proposes strategies that include increasing
physical activity, increasing accessibility to affordable nutritious
food in schools and communities and empowering parents and caregivers to
make the best choices for their families.
	During a recent talk to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the first
lady mentioned Mayor Hindman and what Columbia is doing in the way of an
interconnected system of walking and bicycle routes to increase the
opportunities for activity in peoples lives. 	“The ‘GetAbout
Columbia’ program fits in perfectly with the ‘Let's Move’
movement, but that is only part of what Columbia is doing to combat
childhood obesity,” Mayor Hindman said. “The first lady's
announcement is great news for Columbia, which already has a broad-based
coalition, led by the PedNet Coalition, called the Healthy Communities
Partnership, involving business, government, non-profits, foundations,
schools, the University of Missouri, medical providers and others whose
goals are the same as the first lady's.”
	Hindman also said that Columbia is in a perfect position to
benefit from the “Let's Move” movement and to contribute to it. He
plans to call a meeting of the participants in the Healthy Communities
Partnership and other interested parties to find ways that Columbia can
participate in the Let's Move program.


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