Michelle Obama unveiled a 70-point plan Tuesday on behalf of a special White House Task Force, with the main focus being on childhood obesity. The group hopes it will be able to reduce the obesity epidemic among the nation’s children within a generation.

The First lady has made childhood obesity a primary focus of her role in Washington, also revealing the results of a White House Task Force on childhood obesity Tuesday, which offers a 70-point plan for controlling the obesity epidemic.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three American children are either overweight or obese, with childhood obesity rates higher in pockets of the Midwest and Deep South. The report has requested schools, state and local governments, businesses and families to help reverse the obesity trend among children.

Michelle Obama, during a White House ceremony said, clear goals and benchmarks, including measurable outcomes for tackling this challenge one step, one family and one child at a time have been set, and if these goals are met, it will mean we have been successful in reversing a 30 year trend.

The report carries 70 recommendations to help children maintain a normal weight, such as: Addressing pre-natal care for pregnant mothers. Providing healthier food in school cafeterias. Increasing physical activity among children through in school and after school physical education programmes.

The White House Task Force is also offering encouragement to the food and beverage industry for marketing healthier, more nutritious food to children, including avoiding marketing their products in stores promoting unhealthy food. While, the agencies comprising the task force reserve the right to enact future regulations, they have not so far, imposed any regulatory action or federal taxes on sugary drinks and junk food for now.

The report also found:

Women are more likely to be obese than men, 25% vs. 19%.

Diabetics and those with hyper-tension were more likely to be obese than those of normal weight.

Residents who ate five or more fruits or vegetables daily were less likely to be overweight or obese.

Neighbourhoods with the most grocery stores, organic food and farmers markets had the lowest obesity rates, and those with the fewest healthy food options had the highest rates of obesity.

High school-age boys were more likely to be obese (19%), than their female counterparts (16%).

Only 30% of high school-age youths were found to get the recommended 60 minutes of exercise five days of the week.

Rates of obesity have increased from 13.4% in 2003 to 17.7% for high school-age youths.

The percentage of high school-aged youths who participate in some sort of physical activity for at least 60 minutes for five or more days per week increased from 18.2% in 2005 to 30.2% in 2007.

The percentage of high school-age youths who ate fruits and vegetables five or more times per day decreased from 21.3% in 2003 to 19.3% in 2007.

Officials at the conference said to battle the problem of obesity, a holistic approach had to be taken on a national level.