Michelle Obama Takes on Child Obesity

Nicholas Zifcak The Epoch Times 02/15/2010 04:01

First Lady Michelle Obama speaks about her initiative, "Let's Move," a campaign to help combat childhood obesity, during an event in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, February 9, 2010.

First lady Michelle Obama is getting serious about child obesity. She announced her plan to reduce child obesity in America last week, saying, “It’s time we all had a wake up call.”

“Let’s Move” includes informing parents, improving access to healthier foods, and encouraging kids to exercise more. The plan aims to end child obesity within a generation.

"Rarely have we encountered a problem of this magnitude and consequence” that can be so readily solved, she said. Obesity is not like an intractable disease because we know the cure, said the first lady. The first step is informing parents so they have the information to make healthy choices for their children. She believes pediatricians have a role to play.

She spoke about her own family’s eating habits. As a working mother she sometimes chose the ease of fast or microwave foods. Mrs. Obama had her own wake up call when their pediatrician encouraged her to change her daughters’ diets. Changes she made in what and how much her daughters ate made a difference, she said. She says it is time our nation had a wake up call because children “should not be the ones calling the shots at dinnertime.”

Mrs. Obama emphasized that many groups can play a role in fighting child obesity. Pediatricians and food industry groups have signed on. Leaders, like Mayor Chip Johnson of Hernando, Miss. spoke at the announcement.

Johnson has promoted health in his community. In Hernando, he has worked to establish farmer’s markets, community gardens, a youth basketball league, and a youth soccer league. The town is installing walking paths, and requires new developments to install sidewalks. Mayor Johnson said he recognizes health is a personal decision, “What we have to do is create an atmosphere and an opportunity for good health.”

The second goal is to improve the quality of school lunches.

School food suppliers Sodexho, Chartwells School Dining Services, and Aramark set a 10-year goal to reduce the sugar, fat, and salt in school lunches; to increase whole grains; and double the produce served to students.

According to the plan, the administration is requesting $10 billion over 10 years through the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act. The money would go to improving the National School Lunch and Breakfast program. The money would enable schools to serve more students, do more training of school food service workers, and upgrade kitchen equipment. According to the plan, school cafeterias will serve more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.