NEW YORK, April 21, 2011 – The White House and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced they are teaming up in the fight against childhood obesity. Through NBA FIT, the NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League will work with Let’s Move! toward a goal of reaching more than 250,000 young people to support the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award Challenge (PALA).

The effort will tip off Sunday, April 24 during the NBA Playoffs with the debut of an NBA FIT/Let’s Move! public service announcement featuring the First Lady. The campaign will also include a schedule of more than 350 events in the effort to educate young people on the benefits of an active lifestyle. The PSA encourages young fans to use their love of basketball as the centerpiece for a healthy and active lifestyle and will run across the league’s broadcast partners – ABC, ESPN, and TNT – as well as NBA TV throughout the playoffs. The partnership will also feature a WNBA FIT/Let’s Move! PSA, which will air throughout the 2011 season.

In the PSA, the First Lady encourages young fans to use the game of basketball to get 60 minutes of activity per day and discusses her family’s love of the game: “If you’re anything like our family, then you love to play basketball. It’s an amazing sport. Most importantly, playing basketball for just one hour a day is a great way to feel good and stay strong.”

NBA FIT utilizes its players, who are among the fittest athletes in the world, to share important health and fitness tips in the effort to educate and engage children and families in healthy living practices. NBA stars Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets and Grant Hill of the Phoenix Suns are council members for the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition.

In addition, the NBA has extended its effort into the Hispanic community with the introduction of the éne•bé•a  marketing platform in 2009. A number of the 350 events in the coming year will be targeted to local Hispanic communities through éne•bé•a En Forma (NBA FIT), which promotes healthy and active lifestyles to Hispanic youth.

For more information regarding NBA FIT or Let’s Move! Log on to nba.com/nbafit or letsmove.gov.

About Let’s Move!

Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by First Lady Michelle Obama, dedicated to solving the problem of obesity in a generation. Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years and continuing throughout their lives. Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices. Providing healthier foods in our schools. Ensuring that every community has access to healthy, affordable food. And, helping kids become more physically active. letsmove.gov

About NBA FIT

NBA/WNBA FIT is the league’s comprehensive health and wellness program that encourages physical activity and healthy living for children and families.  Through a nationwide network of more than 880 community-based organizations, NBA/WNBA FIT brings programs and events to children, adults, and families year-round.  NBA/WNBA FIT also collaborates with the Let’s Move! campaign, which first lady Michelle Obama established to provide communities nationwide with resources to help kids eat healthy and get active.  In partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine and Nemours’ KidsHealth.org, NBA/WNBA FIT also provides health and fitness information to children and families through newsletters, social media, and interactive online content at NBA.com/nbafit.  NBA/WNBA FIT strives to motivate and inspire kids, adults, and families to PLEDGE NBA/WNBA FIT online at NBA.com/nbafit.