by Mark Silva and updated at 9:35 am EST
The first lady has embarked on a cause, as anyone near a television set today will see: Michelle Obama will appear on Good Morning America and a run of other shows through PBS' Newshour tonight with a wake-up call for families overlooking childhood obesity.
The first lady also has acknowledged the "guilty pleasure'' she finds in French fries, which is to say that she gets the whole temptation thing, too. "I love burgers and fries,'' she says. "The question is, how do we balance that all out.''
With an estimated one-third of all American children carrying too much weight, the first mom is launching a campaign today to change the way millions of Americans eat. Watch for Cabinet secretaries to follow up with appearances on the networks later this week.
(With the federal bureaucracy facing its second day of office closures today -- D.C., digging out of one blizzard, is bracing for another onslaught of snow this afternoon -- Tuesday's Swamp has arrived early with a preview of the first lady's TV campaign. GMA and the other morning news shows start at 7 am EST.)
"Thank God it's not going to be solely up to me," Obama said recently of this new campaign, underscoring the need for parents, schools, businesses, nonprofit groups, health professionals and governments to take the cause seriously.
.
At the White House this morning, President Barack Obama was signing a memorandum on childhoold obesity, markng the official start of the administration's effort to confront a problem through policies and publicity. All acknowledge it's no easy task.
The president, in signing an executive order, said it will set in motion a 90-day plan that "provides optimal coordination" among federal agencies to fight a national epidemic of childhood obesity.
"We think this has enormous promise," the presdient said of the first lady's project to promote healthy eating habits and exercise. One of its goals is to "help parents make healthy choices," he said.
Michelle Obama stood behind her husband with an arm draped over his chair as he penned his signature, then patted him on the back and said, "Good job."
Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar were on hand for the initiation of a program involving several Cabinet agencies.
"You don't just go from epidemic obesity to epidemic leanness," Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center, says, noting that the first lady has the pulpit to "shift the massive momentum of our society in the right direction."
Clyde Yancy, president of the American Heart Association, says the first lady's focus will help generate the "noise" needed to change attitudes. "Anything she can do would be helpful because the burden of the problem is just that profound," Yancy says.
There is no shortage of solutions: Increasing federal spending for healthier school lunches for impoverished children, improving nutrition standards for school lunches -- and getting chips and doughnuts out of school vending machines -- expanding time for school recess and physical education, using federal incentives to encourage low-income families to buy healthier foods; prodding food makers to stop targeting children with ads for high-calorie treats on TV and in online video games; getting more restaurants to print nutrition information on menus; increasing medical screening for obesity in children; improving food labeling; improving counseling for overweight children, and more.
The school lunch program, due for an overhaul by Congress this year, is one area of focus. President Barack Obama's proposed budget calls for an additional $1 billion a year for child nutrition programs. Last year's economic stimulus package included $500 million for one-time grants to help states and communities tackle smoking, obesity and various preventable health problems.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. The clip above comes from ABC News' Good Morning America.
Comments
If the Red State goobers would just go ahead and secede from the Union like they're always claiming they're going to, America's obesity problem would be solved in one day.
"America's Fattest States: Mississippi Still Tops List, But Alabama Closes In"
*
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/01/americas-fattest-states-m_n_223699.html
*
Posted by: RickyBobby | February 8, 2010 11:06 PM
There is no shortage of solutions:
"Increasing federal spending for
healthier school lunches..."
Ummm, whatever happened to parents making their kids a healthy lunch to bring to school???
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | February 8, 2010 11:51 PM
While you make a good point….I do think that those policies can make a huge difference despite all the pressure from the food industry. Studies show that over 1/3 of the total daily calories for children are consumed at school and if the school food environment is improved to be lower in fat, more nutritious, and there is less access to soda and junk foods in schools (which is already happening in many schools across America) it will definately help with the obesity epidemic. Kids are sponges when they are young so I think many policy makers are understanding to fight the obesity epidemic you have to start early. You have to remember that rising health care costs is a HUGE concern and major corporations have a huge interest in that so there is some lobby power to fighting childhood obestiy when you put health care costs and chronic diseses into perspective.
Posted by: bariatric surgery | February 9, 2010 12:47 AM
=====================
Ummm, whatever happened to parents making their kids a healthy lunch to bring to school??? Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | February 8, 2010 11:51 PM
===================
That's right, Pablo...
And seeing as how it's the rubes in the red states who are the fattest cows in America, why don't you get to work on educating them about that?
The rest of the country is tired of wasting money on the lazy red state slobs.
Posted by: Gotti | February 9, 2010 1:15 AM
I'm sure she won't make a partisan issue out of this (the way Palin went for the juggular over mental disabilities). Palin criticizes Rahm for using the R word, then says that Rush is just joking when he uses it continuously. Point being, I sense a sincerity in Michelle's cause that I just don't see in Palin's. They were rival first ladies and the classier one won.
Posted by: giraffe | February 9, 2010 7:37 AM
Healthy lunch is great, but to consider making food companies sell only certain foods to schools is crazy..First of all with so many Americans being strapped for cash, most parents send a packed lunch to school with thier child..Is Michelle Obama going to mandate that a school rep. go thru lunch bags to see if it fits her standard?? Or mandate that NO home lunches be brought to school? As for vending machines in schools being banned..our school has a vending machine, it contains MILK..lets ban that too..I do notice that the Obama's eat very healthly..lamb, veal, organic veggies,..they have a very expensive taste, and eat what they want..at tax payers expense..I say maybe "We the people" should mandate what gets served at the White House..Oh and lets not forget all the M&M packages with the White House logo, that are abundant through out the Peoples House..If they can mandate what your childs food intake is a school, they will eventually mandate what food companies can sell to you, and what you eat in your own home..
Posted by: Melisa Brubaker | February 9, 2010 9:26 AM
Hey RickyBobby
Guess you are not adult enough to make your own decisions either. Do you need the government to hold you hand, and tell you what to do? Are you afraid of being responsible for your own actions? Boo Wooo Wooo.
Posted by: Darkwater | February 9, 2010 9:46 AM
More diversion and hand waving from the compliant media. "Look over here! Look over here!" Meantime, Obama's presidency continues to crash amidst new record approval lows -- yet again -- in yesterday's Gallup and Marist polls. The Obama's are grifters. The good news is that a growing number of Americans are buying their con anymore. Let's get Congress out of the hands of Pelosi and Reid in November to limit further damage from Obama.
Posted by: Jackson | February 9, 2010 10:06 AM
What ever happened to the "Success" of Michelle posturing as a "Librarian" ?? What about her turnip patch on the lawn?? Now she is going to the empty world of fat kids. She is just looking for another patronage do nothing job as she had at the University of Chicago. Pocket stuffing 101.
Posted by: senator dirksen | February 9, 2010 10:18 AM
Aren't we so lucky to live in a country where the all knowing Nanny State can properly care and nurture the dim-witted citizenry?
My goodness, I just don't know what I would do if it weren't for Barack to tell me what type of lightbulbs to use, which cars to drive, and the best way to heat the water in my home. I know I shouldn't vacation in Las Vegas because I might unwittingly blow my child's college savings. (Thanks Barack...you really are looking out for us - saving us from our own stupidity!)
I would also like thank his lovely wife Michelle for telling me that junk food can lead to obesity. Wow....you guys sure are smart and wonderful and hopey and changey (in a good way).
Dear Obamas,
Can you please tell me other things I can do to help me live a healthy and clean lifestyle? I just don't think I'm up to the task to make those kinds of decisions for myself. You see, I need to rely on people who are smart and have Ivy League educations to make those choices for me.
Posted by: Chris | February 9, 2010 10:22 AM
Childhood obesity is no different from any other childhood failure. The Parents. Period.
Full stop. Ones responsibility to ones children goes beyond just popping them out. What ever happened to parental responsibility?? Oh that's right blame society, the fast food and everyone else for the laziness of the irresponsible parents. Now Michelle will somehow make it right. Just like her "Sterling" record of accomplishments when she was being paid off at the University of Chicago. More something for nothing other than egotistical posturing. What a pair of empty suits.
Posted by: senator dirksen | February 9, 2010 10:30 AM
Liberal Conceit
Shall I tell you what your real problem is, liberals? It is your unjust and oppressive administrative state. Today, liberals use the administrative state to smash families and civil society to buy votes and fund public sector pensions. Then and now, the administrative state has one overriding purpose: to increase the
power of the center and force people to look to the state for all their needs.
The real problem for liberals when it comes to conservatism is ignorance. An alert reader recently e-mailed me about an interview on C-SPAN. Brian Lamb asked a famous liberal professor for his thoughts on Hayek's The Road to Serfdom. The response was "I'm sorry; I haven't read that. I don't know that author."
How anti-intellectual can you get? F.A. Hayek is the standout intellectual critic of the administrative state. He made the unanswerable charge that the administrative state is bound to fail in delivering prosperity because it
doesn't have the bandwidth to run everything, for:
"... decentralized control over resources, control through several property [i.e. capitalism], leads to the generation and use of more information than is possible under central direction."
The science is settled on that, even if liberals "don't know that author."
Read more here:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/liberal_conceit.html
Posted by: Thank GOD I'm a Conservative | February 9, 2010 10:32 AM
She's a pretty husky lady so she may want to try another campaign since I doubt she'll give up the $100 per pound steak she's been eating in the White House.
Posted by: Todd | February 9, 2010 10:54 AM
How will the Right Wing spin this? I can see the headlines how " Michelle Obama to Starve Childern" or "Obama plans to Ration Food"
Posted by: Joe | February 9, 2010 11:46 AM
I am a grandmother who attends the athletic events of my 7th and 8th grade grandchildren. My family is not overweight but it absolutely disgusts me when I see coaches and athletic directors who are nearly obese and coaching athletes. What is this saying about our school's athletic programs? The kids play their hearts out but look at the examples that are right before their eyes!!!! I think we need to start with the examples being set by the leaders FIRST!!!!!
Posted by: Shirley Walker | February 9, 2010 12:55 PM
There is already a program in place, that the Whitehouse should consider. The program is called: MYOB, and it was 1st started when the Constitution was born..
MYOB=MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
ASOOO=AND STAY OUT OF OURS
Posted by: Melisa | February 9, 2010 1:30 PM
Here you go gluttons.
• A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with RTI International (a nonprofit research group), found that the direct and indirect cost of obesity "is as high as $147 billion annually." The study was based on figures collected in 2006.
• The study found that in 2006, obese patients spent an average of $1,429 more for their medical care than did people within a normal weight range. That is a 42 percent higher cost for people who are obese.
• The CDC study found that Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers increased spending due to obesity from 6.5 percent in 1998 to 9.1 percent in 2006. The figure includes prescription drug costs.
Video: Tackling childhood obesity • Another 2009 study in the journal Health Affairs concluded that the costs of hospitalizations related to childhood obesity rose from $125.9 million in 2001 to $237.6 million in 2005. Bottom Line: America spends as much as $147 billion annually on the direct and indirect costs of obesity. In the year of the most recent CDC study, 2006, that made up 9.1 percent of medical spending.
Power to you stay out of my business fat people.
Posted by: bill r. | February 9, 2010 6:16 PM
Gotti,
And yet you want the federal gov't to take care of these "rubes in the red states who are the fattest cows in America". Why shouldn't it be the responsibility of these rubes to take care of their own health?
Dirksen,
Funny story about Michelle's garden. They featured her garden on the Food Network and supposedly used her vegetables for the cooking contest. Turns out, her gardens' vegetables didn't cut it, so the TV show had to bring in "stunt doubles".
Posted by: Terry | February 9, 2010 8:06 PM
It still amazes me the disconnect between the Education system in Broward County (the School Board) and the United States Government. In Broward County the School Board wants to eliminate Physical Education starting with the Elementary Schools and then the Middle Schools and High. They want an uncertified Physical Education teacher to teach fitness and health in the schools. We all know what that means..Health risks will increase in the schools and safety in the classroom is not prioroity.We are asking for the obesity problem to continue. Would you want to place your child’s health in the hands of an uncertified Physical Education teacher?
Posted by: Linda | March 17, 2010 10:07 AM