The federal government is hoping to enlist important new allies in the fight against childhood obesity, and they’re calling it Project M.O.M [mom].

The acronym stands for Mothers and Others and My Pyramid. It’s a multipronged initiative aimed at changing how the American family eats. The project involves the government, industry, teachers, consumers and the media.

The program’s goal? To promote good nutrition practices by the person who buys the food in the household, be it a parent, a grandparent or a sibling. The “my pyramid” part of Project M.O.M. refers to the food pyramid developed by the U-S-D-A- as a guideline to healthy eating.

Why now? Because childhood obesity is a growing concern, and the government officials hope to target the place where positive changes could take place immediately… the family home.

There are four components to Project M.O.M., includinga MyPyramid menu planner and, a MyPyramid for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Plans also call for a MyPyramid for preschoolers and a cost of raising a child calculator. All the materials will be available through the U-S-D-A’s Web site, www.mypyramid.gov.

Project M.O.M. will also call on the food industry and others to develop programs that provide more information about nutrition and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. And the U-S-D-A plans to offer monthly podcasts throughout 2008.

No matter who’s on the nutritional front lines in your household, the information should go a long way toward satisfying the appetite for timely tips that represent a recipe for a healthier you.