Recognizing the health crisis our nation faces — that many states, including Tennessee, have childhood obesity rates that exceed 30 percent — the program unites government, nonprofits and health-care providers, among others, to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. Curbing these rates will save children from a life of chronic, diet-related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and asthma. 

 Let's Move not only promotes educating children and parents about healthy living, but also suggests funding for community-based programs to increase access to healthy food and exercise opportunities and pushes for government reforms that make choosing a healthier lifestyle an easier option for children and families. 

 In Nashville, community organizations and health officials have also taken a holistic approach to solving childhood obesity. Manna-Food Security Partners, a local organization dedicated to ending hunger and creating a healthy, just and sustainable food system for our community, has partnered with multiple community and government leaders to provide outreach and advocacy for a healthier food environment.

Find out how to get involved

Through its Growing Healthy Kids and Re/Storing Nashville campaigns, Manna–Food Security Partners provides education about healthy eating and promotes increased access to healthy foods.

Growing Healthy Kids aims to improve the health and well-being of our community's school-aged children by improving the health and nutrition of school foods. It teaches children about nutrition and where their food comes from, helps parents and teachers start school gardens and, through a Healthy School Food Leadership Institute, builds parent and teacher leadership to advocate for changes to school foods, including farm-to-school and the elimination of unhealthy snacks and competitive foods.

Re/Storing Nashville is a citywide campaign aimed at ensuring that all Nashvillians have access to affordable, healthy foods. Through youth and interfaith programs, it works to reduce health risks facing residents of Nashville's three identified "food deserts": East Nashville/Cayce Place, Edgehill and North Nashville/Charlotte. These neighborhoods lack full-service grocery stores but have an abundance of convenience stores and fast-food restaurants.

Manna-Food Security Partners creates opportunities for organizations and individuals to come together and collaborate on programs to end hunger and create a healthy, just and sustainable food system, from farm to fork. Through its programs to bring healthier foods to schools and provide better access to affordable healthy food, the group has been working to combat the roots of childhood obesity. The groundwork has been laid in Nashville to realize the first lady's mission.

Each of us can become a part of the conversation about how we eat and live and create a more healthy food environment. Learn more about progress being made and ways to get involved in Nashville by visiting the Manna-Food Security Partners Web sites, www.foodsecuritypartners.org, www.restoringnashville.org and www.mannanashville.org.