Hip-Hop and….Public Health?

In addition to eating nutritious foods, exercise is vital to fighting childhood obesity. That’s why First Lady Michelle Obama recently helped launch a hip-hop album aimed at getting “every body to move their body” every day”! By focusing on hip-hop, a prominent genre of music in many African American and Latino communities, this initiative hopes to specifically target kids who are at higher risk for obesity. 

A US News article states: “African American children are more than 50 percent more likely to be overweight or obese compared with white children, and Hispanic children are nearly 30 percent more likely, according to a 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.”

The hip-hop album features songs about eating nutritious food, exercising, making friends and looking toward the future. (Watch the introductory video here: http://bit.ly/GXnW1u). At least 10 songs on the album will become music videos that schools in New York, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Washington DC and across the nation can incorporate into classroom lessons and events. Several music stars have already contributed music videos to support the initiative, including Beyoncé’s popular Move Your Body video.

(For more tips on incorporating healthy messaging into the classroom, read our previous blog.)

How else can parents and teachers use music as a catalyst for healthy behavior? For families, it can be as easy as turning on the radio before or after dinner and dancing around the kitchen. Physical education teachers can teach students coordinated dances like the cupid shuffle or an Instant Recess routine.

Have you seen other examples of how music can teach healthy habits at schools? What do you think about Michelle Obama’s initiative? Tweet us @BagtheJunk, write on our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.