Let’s Move: First Lady Michelle Obama talks healthcare on The Tonight Show (VIDEO)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hazIopgMSQw

By Alan Lyndon

First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Thursday and, after doing some comedy sketches with Fallon and Will Ferrell, talked about the Let’s Move campaign to end childhood obesity.

Let’s Move began in 2010 with its stated goal to put “children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years.” After the launch of the campaign, President Obama created the first-ever Task Force on Childhood Obesity, which outlined the following recommendations to help reduce childhood obesity:

1. Creating a healthy start for children
2. Empowering parents and caregivers
3. Providing healthy food in schools
4. Improving access to healthy, affordable foods
5. Increasing physical activity

On The Tonight Show, Mrs. Obama announced a new, social media-focused, initiative to show the success of the Let’s Move program.  “I want to see how people around the country are moving and changing the standards of health for our kids,” she said. The First Lady encouraged people to post their successes online to  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (and, of course, use #LetsMove).

Mrs. Obama also discussed with Fallon the importance of the Affordable Care Act.  She said that because “young people are knuckleheads,” they may believe they’re invincible, but they’re not.  It was an opportunity for the Obama administration to reach a large, young audience to promote Healthcare.gov and get people signed up for health insurance.