WASHINGTON—First lady Michelle Obama urged food manufacturers, schools, and parents to help children change eating and lifestyle habits and solve the problem of child obesity. Mrs. Obama was speaking at Washington D.C.’s Newseum during an interview with Newseek. She said the goal of her “Let’s Move” campaign is to resolve the problem of child obesity in one generation.
Compared to the past, children today spend less time outside playing and a lot of time watching TV, surfing the Internet, and playing computer games, said Obama. In the past children on average ate one snack a day. Today’s children eat on average two to three snacks each day. School age children eat on average six snacks per day. Compared with 30 or 40 years ago, in just snack foods they consume more than 200 calories.
Obama urged parents to help their children change bad eating habits, forcing food manufacturers to produce healthier foods. She said, “They will make what we tell them we want to buy. And if we want healthier foods for our kids, and that’s what we’re purchasing, our power will shift their market. We don’t need much more than our own demands to change, and we need to work with our kids to also get them to change their eating habits as well.”
The first lady suggested mayors, governors, residents, and schools, come up with a workable plan for each situation. She said there is no one method that fits all. Some states think a tax on soft drinks is effective, some mayors are working with local restaurant owners to change menus to offer healthier options. On Tuesday, the first lady spoke at the Grocery Manufacturers Association Conference and urged U.S. food manufacturers to stop marketing unhealthy foods to children. She said food manufacturers need to speed up remaking their labels and packaging, giving kids healthier foods to eat with clearer labels for parents.
Mrs. Obama praised the Grocery Manufacturers Association member companies for taking steps to reduce calories and salt, and she said, “But I’m here today to urge all of you to move faster and to go farther, because the truth is we don’t have a moment to waste—because a baby born today could be less than a decade away from showing the first signs of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, if he or she is obese as a child.”
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, 68 percent of adult Americans are overweight, with one-third of adults obese, and one-third of children obese.
At the Newseum, Obama said, “We are spending $147 billion on obesity-related conditions that are preventable.”
Compared to the past, children today spend less time outside playing and a lot of time watching TV, surfing the Internet, and playing computer games, said Obama. In the past children on average ate one snack a day. Today’s children eat on average two to three snacks each day. School age children eat on average six snacks per day. Compared with 30 or 40 years ago, in just snack foods they consume more than 200 calories.
Obama urged parents to help their children change bad eating habits, forcing food manufacturers to produce healthier foods. She said, “They will make what we tell them we want to buy. And if we want healthier foods for our kids, and that’s what we’re purchasing, our power will shift their market. We don’t need much more than our own demands to change, and we need to work with our kids to also get them to change their eating habits as well.”
The first lady suggested mayors, governors, residents, and schools, come up with a workable plan for each situation. She said there is no one method that fits all. Some states think a tax on soft drinks is effective, some mayors are working with local restaurant owners to change menus to offer healthier options. On Tuesday, the first lady spoke at the Grocery Manufacturers Association Conference and urged U.S. food manufacturers to stop marketing unhealthy foods to children. She said food manufacturers need to speed up remaking their labels and packaging, giving kids healthier foods to eat with clearer labels for parents.
Mrs. Obama praised the Grocery Manufacturers Association member companies for taking steps to reduce calories and salt, and she said, “But I’m here today to urge all of you to move faster and to go farther, because the truth is we don’t have a moment to waste—because a baby born today could be less than a decade away from showing the first signs of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, if he or she is obese as a child.”
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, 68 percent of adult Americans are overweight, with one-third of adults obese, and one-third of children obese.
At the Newseum, Obama said, “We are spending $147 billion on obesity-related conditions that are preventable.”
