Article by: Dr. Zoe Arugay
Photo: Getty Images 

Michelle Obama's campaign against childhood obesity, Let's Move, launched in February, has now made its way into cities and towns.

In the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors last Friday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the Obama administration is calling on on mayors to help in this fight because the effort won't work if communities don't engage in it. There were about 400 mayors and members of their staff in attendance.

This phase of the campaign, called Let's Move Cities and Towns, is relying on city leaders to help motivate its citizens. Sebellius and Mrs Obama believe that some things will work well in some cities and not in others, since each city or town has a diverse make-up.

Sebelius suggested that local leaders can help by building parks, supporting farmers markets and bringing healthier foods into schools.

Obama's program is aimed at solving the childhood obesity problem in a generation, so children born today can reach adulthood at a healthy weight. It has four components: helping parents make better food choices, serving healthier food in school vending machines and lunch lines, making healthy food more available and affordable, and encouraging children to exercise more.

Childhood obesity is defined as occuring when a child's weight is well above the normal for his or her age and height.