Michelle Obama reveals emotion behind health project

First Lady Michelle Obama has been putting her heart and soul into a new campaign to encourage healthy eating among youngsters.

And while America's First Lady has always demonstrated an interest in vegetables and fitness, the mum-of-two has revealed the real motivation behind her schemes comes from her father.

"If I'm more reflective, because my father had multiple sclerosis and physical movement wasn't a given for him, as I talk to my brother now, neither one of us took our physical fitness for granted," she tells the Washington Post.

"We knew our father was a jock when he grew up - he boxed - and to see him go from that so quickly, without any warning, to someone who couldn't walk without crutches, you don't take that for granted. I don't think my father ever did."

"He did his best to always get out there with us. When he'd come home from work, if he was on a shift that would allow him to, we'd be boxing or throwing the ball or playing dodge ball. There was always some game involved."

Michelle's Let's Move initiative has received a presidential nod of support and will be backed up with up to $1 billion a year in federal funds.