Gainesville City Council members want to take a stand against childhood obesity.

At Tuesday night's meeting, council member Myrtle Figueras asked fellow members to support First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" initiative to get kids off the couch.

"I was surprised to find Gainesville already on the map," she said. "I hope someone will take it up and get it started here in Gainesville."

Under the program, Obama promotes healthy eating and exercise habits at home and in school through physical education and school nutrition programs.

"We're already working on a lot of ideas in our schools, but I want to register Gainesville through the Georgia Municipal Association and support more after-school programming to inspire youth to be physically active," Figueras said Wednesday. "We need to get everybody moving in Gainesville."

The national initiative mirrors similar statewide programs, such as Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle's Healthy Kids Challenge and the Department of Education's Fitnessgram program, which Hall County Schools are now piloting.

Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black is also creating a school nutrition study group to revamp lunch menus.

On Wednesday morning, council member George Wangemann told Figueras he would help with the idea, and the two plan to meet Friday to hash out specifics.

"I have a passion for causes that address the quality of life issue. Health has so much to do with that," Wangemann said. "If you don't have good health, the rest of your life will be pretty miserable. With nine grandchildren, I'm also concerned that they live a normal healthy life as well."

Obama's site, LetsMove.gov, gives weekly recipe ideas and features a local park and playground locator.

It also includes statistics about the latest childhood obesity rates, which have tripled across the country in the past three decades. About one in three children is overweight or obese, and one-third of children born after 2000 will likely experience diabetes and face heart disease, high blood pressure and asthma.

For Figueras, it's about finding a way to make exercise enjoyable.

"I have the best time walking at Wilshire Trails Park. I walk alone, and I enjoy the trees and outdoors and make it a habit to do a little walking about three times a week," she said. "I use it for my emotional self and my physical self, and I wish more people would enjoy the parks we've got. If you go from downtown, it's such a beautiful walk."

Obama's site particularly speaks to the lifestyle changes that have contributed to the shocking increase in childhood obesity - busy parents who stop for fast food meals, use vehicle transportation instead of walking and struggle with portion sizes. Children also consume more sodas, sweets and snacks than in past years and spend more than seven hours per day watching TV, using cell phones and computers, and playing video games.

In Gainesville, the key idea could be incorporating exercise into other meaningful activities, Wangemann noted. He participates in Keep Hall Beautiful cleanups each month and delivers invitations to City Council meetings by walking door-to-door in neighborhoods each week.

"That's one of the reasons I do Keep Hall Beautiful, which may be a selfish reason to help my own health," Wangemann said with a laugh. "But when you're out there walking around and moving, you're definitely helping the community along with your own health."