The economy can make it harder for family to make healthy choices but childhood obesity threatens America's future, first lady Michelle Obama said Thursday.

During an appearance in Alexandria, Va., with Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, Health And Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. Judith Palfrey, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in Alexandria, Va., the first lady said childhood obesity is "nothing short of a public health crisis threatening the future of this nation."

The first lady and the officials released a paper by the surgeon common on the public health challenge of obesity and toured a YMCA playroom that feature physical activities, including interactive video games good for groups, bikes set up so kids can race others on a screen and a dancing game.

Barack obama told an audience that included representatives from scouting, the YMCA, YWCA, Children's Defense Fund, Girls Inc. and the National PTA that the activity room represented the "next generation" and must be encouraged in other places.

Citing India and China as countries that are going ahead with economic revamp, US president Barack Obama today said the US can’t accept a "second place", and should get serious about fixing its troubles since the worst of the financial crisis is over.

"Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China's not waiting to revamp its financial system. Germany's not waiting. India's not waiting," Barack obama said in his first State of the Union address to the Congress.

"Well, I do not agree to a second place for the United States of America. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may be, it's time to get serious about fixing the troubles that are hampering our growth," he said.

Barack Obama has had a miserable first anniversary in power, losing a earlier safe Democratic seat to a little-known Republican and finding his personal poll rating plummeting. But his wife, Michelle, is still ride high, according to a poll by the Pew Research Centre. It found that more than 70% of Americans expressed a favorable opinion towards the first lady. That is above the 64% polled by Laura Bush and 60% of Hillary Clinton at a same stage. The Politics Daily commentator Lynn Sweet believes Mrs Obama, who was at times seen as angry during the campaign, transformed her popularity by 'framing herself as a wife, mother, daughter and sister, not trying to redefine the role of first lady, limiting interviews and stay militantly noncontroversial'.

US President Barack Obama on Thursday said that the US cannot ignore the problem in Haiti, but ruled out taking over the quake-devastated Caribbean nation.

"No," Obama told the ABC News in an interview when asked if the US is heading towards a takeover Haiti.

"We are being very careful about working with the Haitian government. We are being very careful about working with the United Nations, which already had peacekeeping forces on the ground, to deal with the immediate emergency, search and rescue, and relief," the US president said.

"The truth is, is that just the common instruments of government in that country are gone. We've got to help Haiti stand back up," he said.

The month before Barack Obama took office, the US economy lost more than half a million jobs, 300,000 homes was being foreclosed and the survival of the US banking system was in doubt.

A year later it is fair to say the large picture is a lot rosier. Financial markets have rallied powerfully during Mr Obama's time in office and the biggest banks, at least, have returned to some semblance of stability.

But for numerous millions of Americans, the Obama presidency has, so far, been a time of declining fortune. The rate of job losses has slowed from the terrifying days of winter 2008/9, but it has not upturned. The unemployment rates sit at 10%.

In political terms, the economy is now a actual problem for President Obama. He faces the prospect of having to argue that however awful things are for many voters, without him, they would be even worse. That is always a difficult case to make.

The White House Tuesday argue with President Barack Obama's "steady diplomacy" had made America stronger and renewed its moral authority despite "unprecedented challenges" in his first year in office.

"A year later, America is stronger because of the president's leadership," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security consultant for strategic communications, in a White House blog post.

"By prohibiting torture and working to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, we are denying Al-Qaeda a recruiting tool," said Rhodes, who has played an active role in many of Obama's main foreign policy speeches.

When he came to office in January 2009, Obama offered a hand of dialogue to Iran but has been rebuff and now the administration is working with international associates on a toughened sanctions regime over a nuclear showdown.

"After a year of American engagement, the international community is more united than ever before in calling on Iran to live up to its obligation, while Iran is more isolated," he said.

THOMAS JEFFERSON: Jefferson (1801-1809) hired the first White House gardener, who also was in charge for cultivating a "kitchen" garden. But it wasn't until 1825, when John Quincy Adams became president, which the vegetable garden and nearby grounds began to flourish.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: By the 1840s, a fresh kitchen garden had been planted southwest of the White House. Receipts for the seeds show that Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd, enjoyed a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT: First lady Eleanor Roosevelt used the White House grounds during World War II to show support for a civilian protection program for producing homegrown fruits and vegetables.

BARACK OBAMA: First lady Michelle Obama, with assist from local schoolchildren, planted a new "kitchen" garden last year on the lawn southwest of the White House. The garden is provided that fresh, seasonal produce for the first family and White House guests to enjoy. Mrs. Obama also is using the garden to teach children about the significance of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables as part of a healthier lifestyle.

President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and their daughters, Malia, 11, and Sasha, 8, watched the digital 3-D version of the film on the morning of Dec 31 at a theatre close to their Hawaii vacation home, reports the Politico.

The Obamas, accompanied by family members and close friends, watched the movie in entire privacy. One complex of the 10 movie theatres was reserved for them and the media was reserved off.

It is supposed the early morning screening of the film was specially held for the president's family and his friends.

The Obamas reached the mall to see the film shortly before 9.30am Hawaii time, while the first usual show of the movie was slated for 10.45am.

Obama, who donned sunglasses, a dark blue short-sleeve shirt and brown slacks with his BlackBerry clipped onto his belt, waves at the crowd.

While Obama's friends Marty Nesbitt and Eric Whittaker were seen leaving, the first lady could not be spotted.

Animal rights group PETA used the image of First Lady Michelle Obama in a campaign against fur clothing without her consent, the White House said Wednesday.

"We did not permission to it," said Semonti Stephens, spokeswoman for the wife of US President Barack Obama.

PETA, an animal welfare group known for high-profile stunts to endorse its cause, had featured Michelle Obama in a photo-montage advertisement on its website.

The montage also included other US personality including model Tyra Banks, television icon Oprah Winfrey and singer Carrie Underwood.

In the ad PETA declared the celebrity "Fur-Free and Fabulous!"

The White House has contacted the group about the issue, an official told AFP, without providing more details.