BodiMojo Blog

First Lady Michelle Obama formally announced today a “very ambitious” initiative to end childhood obesity, one of her signature causes. “We want to eliminate this problem of childhood obesity in a generation. We want to get that done,” said Obama, in the launching of the national campaign, “Let’s Move,” which aims to educate parents, make healthier food more affordable and accessible, and encourage physical activity.

The carefully orchestrated rollout includes a new nonprofit foundation and a range of approaches to tackle the problem, including state and local level programs. “We all know the numbers,” Obama said in an interview this morning with “Good Morning America’s” Robin Roberts. “I mean, one in three kids are overweight or obese, and we’re spending $150 billion a year treating obesity-related illnesses. So we know this is a problem, and there’s a lot at stake.”

First lady Obama talked about “common sense steps that families and communities can take to reduce childhood obesity.” And not just common sense, perhaps, but game-changing solutions. Even Obama admitted, as she gathered cabinet officials around her, that “there is no expert who says that the government telling people what to do does any good.”

We propose our own game-changing solution: BodiMojo, a health-based social engagement site for teens; health management with teen preferences, leveraging social networking elements. It’s a common-sense step, backed by technology and grassroots engagement.

We applaud the First Lady’s commitment to children’s health. It will take a concerted effort among all of us to create healthier communities for our children. It’s a challenge we’ve already begun to take on.