First Lady Visits Philadelphia to Promote 'Let's Move' Campaign

Shoppers at the Fresh Grocer in North Philadelphia early Friday were surprised to hear that a VIP would be joining them: Michelle Obama. 

"Please continue shopping until she comes," a store manager announced over the intercom, as people eyed a photo of Mrs. Obama and her husband on the cover of the March Essence magazine at checkout stands.

"It's pretty special," said Alvin Holley, 56, of Middletown, Conn., shopping for his 21-year-old daughter Latia, a senior at nearby Temple University. "I was actually in the store yesterday and the staff told me she'd be here. But I can't stay."

Store employees excitedly awaited the First Lady. Keeping their eyes on business, managers made the store's sushi manget in line first to be searched by the Secret Service. "We need our sushi man," a manager said, laughing.

Mrs. Obama was coming to support her public awareness campaign against childhood obesity is known as "Let's Move."Obama also discussed steps the city has taken to address the problem of so-called "food deserts," or the poor communities where it's hard to find stores with healthy foods. 

She has said that one in three children in the United States are overweight or obese. She has also said that children are showing up in pediatricians' offices with high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol in numbers never before seen.