United Fresh is cheering the efforts of First Lady Michelle Obama as she gets ready to launch a campaign to reduce childhood obesity in the United States.

For the past two weeks, United Fresh and nutrition advocates around the country have been eagerly awaiting details on Mrs. Obama's childhood obesity initiative. The First Lady has built anticipation regarding the program in speeches before the National Council of Mayors and alongside Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin last month.

The prevalence of obesity has tripled among children and adolescents from 1980 to 2004.  Currently, one in three children is overweight or obese. 

"Today's epidemic of childhood obesity is unacceptable," said Mrs. Obama.  "Our nation's most precious resource, our children, deserve no less than our very best efforts to grow into healthy, smart, productive adults. Overweight and obese children are more likely to be obese adults and that will mean higher rates of preventable disease and disability if we do not take action now."

Mrs. Obama met Tuesday with Cabinet secretaries and congressional committee leaders to discuss her groundbreaking campaign against childhood obesity. The meeting included Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson (D-MN), Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY), and House Education and Labor Committee Chair George Miller (D-CA), among others.

Since she moved in to the White House, Mrs. Obama has emphasized the importance of children eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and including more fruits and vegetables in school meals in almost all of her official remarks and events. An official announcement with details of the initiative, designed to help Americans lead healthier lives through better nutrition, regular physical activity, and healthier choices, is expected next week.