White House Will Announce Childhood Obesity Graphic Winners This Week

A month ago, the White House asked for input on an infographic about childhood obesity, a cause that has been taken up by first lady Michelle Obama.

The contest was a joint effort between Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign and integrated media platform GOOD to raise awareness about the issues and possible solutions.

“Now, people around the country can help raise awareness by creating an infographic (or information graphic that visually represents information) on this issue,” the WHite House said in a statement. “The idea is to create an infographic that shows the current state of children’s health, and that illustrates some avenue to combat the epidemic, including: getting children a healthy start on life; empowering parents and caregivers; providing healthy food in schools; improving access to healthy, affordable food; and getting children more physically active.”

The winners will be announced this week. Some of the submissions include colorful, informative graphics that have received feedback on the initiative’s Facebook page.

Obama has been speaking about the Let’s Move! campaign throughout the country and spoke on the subject recently at the NAACP’s 101st annual convention.

Over the last 30 years, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. One third of all children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lives; many others will face chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma, according to the Let’s Move! fact page.

A Chicago native, Bridgette has been a journalist since she first wrote for her seventh grade newsletter. Today, that passion is just as strong. She has written for several newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Defender, the Marshall News-Messenger (Texas) and the Springfield News-Sun (Ohio).

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