Let’s Move – Drink Up with More Water‏!

HAPPENING TODAY: FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA

ASKING EVERYONE TO “DRINK UP” WITH MORE WATER

Today, First Lady Michelle Obama will join the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and actress Eva Longoria in Watertown, Wisconsin to announce PHA’s new effort – Drink Up – to encourage everyone to drink more water, an easy choice to improve health and well-being every day. The effort brings together more than a dozen organizations committed to encouraging everyone to drink more water more often.     According to the CDC, approximately one fourth of children do not drink any water on a given day. This new effort will remind people that drinking more water helps you have more energy to do more, longer and with better focus.

To learn more about Drink Up, visit www.youarewhatyoudrink.org. Check out Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to catch all the action on the First Lady’s trip to Watertown today! Join the effort and share a photo of yourself drinking water using hashtag #DrinkH2O.

LET’S MOVE!

ACTIVE SCHOOLS KICKS OFF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR WITH FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA,

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, ALLYSON FELIX AND DOMINIQUE DAWES

School is back in session and DC Public Schools are paving the way for a healthier and more active school day. At an event held at Orr Elementary School in Washington D.C. forLet’s Move! Active Schools, First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to bring physical activity back to schools, Mrs. Obama spoke to educators and administrators about the need for schools and their teachers to foster healthy environments for our kids. And though rates of childhood obesity have held steady and even dropped for the first time in decades, the First Lady stressed that a continued commitment to nutrition and physical fitness in schools is needed now more than ever.

Mrs. Obama also joined Orr Elementary students in fun-filled physical activity along with former NBA basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, U.S. track and field Olympian Allyson Felix, and U.S. Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes. Check out the First Lady’s full remarks, andsign your school or district up for Let’s Move! Active Schools here!

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a musical run and musical hoops activity with students during a back to school “Let’s Move! Active Schools” event at Orr Elementary School in Washington, D.C., Sept. 6, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 2013 AS

“NATIONAL CHILDHOOD OBESITY AWARENESS MONTH”

The President is encouraging Americans to get involved in creating healthier environments for our kids nationwide by declaring September 2013 as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Obesity affects millions of American children and teenagers, putting them at risk for serious health issues, such as diabetes, cancer, asthma, heart disease and high blood pressure. After exponentially increasing over the last several decades, rates of childhood obesity have held steady and even decreased in multiple areas.

Though strides have been made, President Obama urged Americans to “build on this momentum and strengthen the trend toward healthier lifestyles and brighter futures for our Nation’s children” in a recent proclamation released August 30, 2013. First Lady Michelle Obama and Let’s Move! remain dedicated to working together to change the way a generation of kids thinks about food and nutrition. Do your part this month by ensuring your kids have a healthy environment by getting involved with Let’s Move!

CHECK IT OUT: “ENERGIZE YOUR DAY WITH SCHOOL BREAKFAST”

WEBINAR TODAY, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH, AT 2:00PM EDT

Tune in today! The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition are hosting a webinar, highlighting the important role that breakfast plays in every child’s day. The webinar will include an overview of the promotional efforts being launched in support of the School Breakfast Program for the 2013-14 school year. The USDA will also provide a walkthrough of its updated “Energize Your Day with School Breakfast!” Toolkit—an exciting set of digital resources to help schools establish or expand their breakfast program. Connect to the webinar by using the log in information below:

To join the audio:

1. Call the toll-free number (from your telephone, audio is not available over the computer): 1-800-988-0278
2. When prompted, enter the participant pass code: 6668750#
3. Please plan to connect 5-15 minutes early to ensure you are connected on time, the meeting will begin promptly.

To join the livemeeting webinar:

1. Click here to join the meeting.
2. You will be prompted to type in your name, email, and organization. Once you hit “continue” you will be joined with the meeting
3. Please plan to connect 5-15 minutes early to ensure you are connected time, the meeting will begin promptly at 2:00PM EDT.

HEALTHY TIP OF THE WEEK

Get creative in the kitchen and make a rainbow on your plate! Eat fruits and veggies of different colors for a wide range of valuable nutrients.

BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

Back to School with MyPlate Kids’ Place
Back-to-school is an exciting time of year that provides new opportunities for teaching and learning. The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion offers great nutrition resources for young children, parents, and educators for this upcoming school year.ChooseMyPlate.gov now features MyPlate Kids’ Place, a new section of the website designed for children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old. MyPlate Kids’ Place offers fun resources for kids, such as games, videos, and songs, that encourage them to make better food and physical activity choices throughout the school year. In addition, resources forparents and educators are available to engage their children and students in “teachable moments” that will influence their food decisions.

For the full recap of recent activities, visit the Let’s Move! blog:
http://www.letsmove.gov/blog/all