First Lady Michelle Obama will be in Iowa today starting a four-state swing to promote her campaign to end childhood obesity. The event, beginning at 10 a.m. at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, is designed to celebrate the second anniversary of the launching of Mrs. Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign.

“Let’s Move was born from a simple idea that each of us has a responsibility to give our children the healthy future they deserve,” Mrs. Obama said in a video posted on the White House website. Just last week, Michelle Obama went on The Ellen Show to talk about the initiative to encourage children to lead healthier lives.

 

Michelle Obama’s visit to Des Moines is an invitation-only event, but nearly 10,000 Iowa school children have been invited. Governor Branstad will also be on hand. He’s leading a project with the goal of making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation by 2016. Mrs. Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks at 11:15 a.m.

Some of the other guests and performers at the “Let’s Move Day in Iowa” event include:

* Former Iowa Governor and current U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack

* NASCAR racing champion Carl Edwards

* Olympic figure skating champion Michelle Kwan

* Olympic champion gymnast Shawn Johnson

* 2011 WNBA MVP Tamika Catchings

* Iowa State University Basketball coach Fred Hoiberg

* The Norwalk Show Choir

* The Southeast Polk High School Kick Team

* West Des Moines Valley High School Competition Cheerleaders

* West Des Moines Valley High School a cappella singing group

* Elite Edge Dance Company

* Storm Chasers Cheerleaders

* Iowa Skippers

* Waukee a cappella singing group

* University of Iowa Breakers

* American Idol’s Katelyn Epperly

* The Isiserettes

* The UNI Interlude creators