A new national scheme offering free health club memberships to military families in the US has been launched by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).

First Lady Michelle Obama joined IHRSA executives at the White House in Washington to mark the unveiling of the Joining Forces Network - an affiliation of clubs across the US. Free memberships will be made available to immediate family members of actively deployed reservists and National Guard personnel and aims to support the country's armed forces.

It is expected that at least 100,000 free memberships will be offered by the IHRSA Joining Forces Network, which represents an estimated value of more than US$30m (£18.5m). IHRSA president and CEO Joe Moore said: "Rooted in communities all across America, IHRSA health clubs stand ready to serve our nation's military families.

"We are here to offer them safe, supportive environments where they can exercise and find encouragement in their efforts to stay well through healthy lifestyle choices." Meanwhile, the Let's Move initiative has also been launched by IHRSA and Obama to help combat obesity levels in children and create a 'healthier' generation of young people.