In N.J., Michelle Obama urges healthy habits

First lady Michelle Obama visited Newark, N.J., Thursday to urge students to eat healthy and exercise to avoid obesity.

It’s a message the state takes seriously. New Jersey has been making anti-obesity efforts with a public and private partnership of more than a hundred groups in the Garden State encouraging child-care centers to promote consumption of healthier foods.Assistant Health Commissioner Celeste Andriot Wood said they’re also trying to get children to be physically active.”There are more computer games that really encourage physical activity,” said Wood. “And we’re doing more to be able to stimulate use of parks and other recreational facilities keeping them as safe environments.”State agriculture department regulations limit the amount of fat in menu items at schools. Food and beverages that list sugar as their first ingredient cannot be sold in school cafeterias and vending machines.