First Lady Michelle Obama Joins the Fight Against Obesity
Like many second-in-commands before her (let's be honest, the First Wife is REALLY the next in power), current First Lady Michelle Obama has championed causes close to her heart.
Most hyped was her "first garden," the Whitehouse's organic backyard garden, and her work encouraging Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables.
And now, Michelle wants to help put an end to the United States' growing obesity problem.
Teaming with U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, Michelle has said, "This will not be easy and it won't happen overnight. And it won't happen simply because the first lady has made it her priority," and, "It's going to take all of us. Thank God it's not going to be solely up to me."
Regina Benjamin has already laid out the blueprint to halting obesity, which Michelle will promote.
It's not rocket science, but the plan includes eating more fruits and vegetables, improving physical education in schools, and bringing more supermarkets to low-income communities.
Arguably, both Obama's have more "star power" than any other First Couple before them, but I'm not sure a fit and trim Michelle Obama is the right choice.
Maybe Oprah is a better pick. She's someone whose yo-yoed between really fat and, uh, not-so fat; more typical of the average Joe.
Then again, that might rule her out too.
ViaReuters.
I hope she challenges the power of the food industry lobbyists in Washington.
ReplyI don't think Michelle Obama's body is out of reach for the average American...she's not super-skinny or ultra buff or anything. She's very average-sized, actually.
I really think it's awesome that she's getting out there and trying to curb the childhood obesity problem in this country. It's seriously getting out of hand and I think that she would be the perfect choice for getting the ball rolling. Although, I will admit that I'm curious about how she plans to get people to "eat more fruits and vegetables". That sounds very vague to me. Maybe she'll work at making them more affordable for people? With government subsidies for produce farmers, perhaps? Now THAT would really be something to see.
ReplyI agree with Spectra, I think Michelle Obama is an average look.. not too much & not too skinny. I think she is a great role model & not intimidating at all. I think she is very real.
ReplyI had heard about the lack of innercity (low income area) supermarkets.
I saw something on tv once where they were talking about this being a problem in Southside Chicago. They said that the local supermarket chains were affraid to come to the innercity. So people living there had to shop at convience stores or liquer stores where there weren't any fresh fruits and veggies.
I was SHOCKED...
Because I am from a Los Angeles suburb and have family in innercity L.A. and there has been regular supermarkets there as long as I can remember. If not the big chains then chains catering to those areas, but full service grocery stores non the less.
There is a market in lower income suburb that neighbors mine that I go to often to save money now a days. I used to be reluctant to go there because they didn't have a lot of diet friendly food products even if they did have a produce section. But lately I have been seeing a few more products, even soy milk.
ReplyFunny how some of the greatest athletes were from the "inner city" living on convenient store food.
Interesting that someone brings up Chicago. You do realize they have a ridiculous minimum wage law which steers away (Wal-Mart most recently) large companies. You need fewer employees to run a convenient store. Plus profits are small due to theft.
Going back to athletes. It could be that they exercised more and the convenient store food had no negative effect. Some NBA teams like the Bulls realize that and have their players on healthy diets.
We are now in the video game generation. Even the lowest income households have game systems and cell phones.
They are victims of technology. There is no motivation to go outside and be active or places to do so.
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