First Lady Michelle Obama has set a steam roller in motion called Let’s Move. It’s campaign to improve children’s nutrition. It works with programs run by chefs, foundations, culinary schools, and celebrity TV hosts.

Let’s Move is getting another prominent participant: the National Restaurant Association (NRA). The NRA announced that they will include a Healthier Kids Fare Pavilion at the NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

That’s good news for American kids who are increasingly eating out. From High-end chefs to fast food outlets, restaurants are looking for alternatives to high-fat fried chicken and processed hot dogs.

According to the press release:

Healthier Kids Fare will feature food and beverage manufacturers showcasing nutritious items for kids, including products with limited fats, sugars and sodium, and items that provide essential nutrients.

The pavilion is an outgrowth of NRA’s Kids LiveWell Program:

In addition, the National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell program, which launched this summer, features dozens of restaurant companies with thousands of locations nationwide. To participate in the program, restaurants must provide children’s menu items that meet specific and strict nutrition criteria. Kids LiveWell will be featured in the National Restaurant Association booth #6300 at the concourse entrance to the North Hall on the exhibit floor.

With over 58,000 visitors from across the US and the globe, the NRA could be a forum to encourage the restaurant and food manufacturing sectors to make changes more swiftly to improve nutrition and battle obesity-related diseases.

(Image of Michelle Obama by NewsOne)