St. Louis is a Let’s Move! City

Let’s Move! is First Lady Michelle Obama’s national comprehensive initiative to combat and solve the challenge of childhood obesity. Mayor Francis Slay recognized the importance of the Let's Move! Program in helping to combat obesity and took steps in 2010 to assure that St. Louis become a Charter Let's Move! City. The program encourages youth to increase physical activity and promotes healthy eating. Let's Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years.

Obesity is a major risk factor linked to multiple chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes for individuals of all ages. According to the 2012 City of St. Louis Department of Health’s Understanding Our Needs Health Report, “The death rate due to heart disease in St. Louis City is 1.4 times the rate seen in the U. S., and 1.2 times that seen in Missouri.” Furthermore, “The death rate due to diabetes in St. Louis City is 1.25 times that seen in the U.S., and 1.29 times that seen in Missouri.”

The City of St. Louis became a Let’s Move! city in 2010 to help combat statistics like these by supporting and endorsing community actions that educate and encourage healthy lifestyles for all ages and ability levels. The City refers to its program as Let’s Move! STL and it’s managed by the City of St. Louis Department of Health.

Trying to change knowledge, attitude, and behavior is always a challenge especially when it comes to influencing everyday food choices and physical activity. Unhealthy habits have to be overridden by newly learned habits and can be difficult at times to sustain.

Let’s Move! STL is striving to combat and solve the challenge of obesity and diseases related to poor diet and fitness; by leveraging community resources; coordinating partnerships; and engaging the community towards the goal of zero obesity by 2020. Participant testimonials from the evaluations of our Let’s Move STL, So You Got Moves Expo (February 2012) include: “I had fun”, “I love to move it!”, “Let’s do it again”, “Great experience”, “Nice, healthy event”, and “It was cool”.

Let’s Move! STL hosts various free public events throughout the year.