Let's Move! to focus on cities, towns

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WASHINGTON, July 19 (UPI) -- U.S. first lady Michelle Obama said the next chapter of her Let's Move! program to help reduce obesity in children involves cities, towns and counties.

The first lady and Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, were joined by local officials nationwide to announce the Let's Move! Cities, Towns, and Counties program, which encourages local elected officials to focus on improving the health of their communities.

Sebelius announced five goals for local officials to achieve within the next year to address obesity and help communities be healthier.

The goals align with the five basic pillars of Let's Move!:

-- Start Early, Start Smart: To provide children with a healthier start, local elected officials commit to helping early care providers incorporate best practices for nutrition, physical activity and screen time into their programs.

-- Goal: My Plate, My Place: Local elected officials commit to prominently displaying My Plate in all municipal or county venues where food is served.

-- Smart Serving for Students: To provide healthy food in schools.

-- Model Food Service: To improve access to healthy, affordable foods, local elected officials commit to implementing healthy and sustainable food service guidelines.

-- Active Kids at Play: To increase physical activity, local elected officials commit to mapping local playspaces, completing a needs assessment, developing an action plan and launching a minimum of three proven policies, programs or initiatives aimed at increasing access to play.