Ludicrous attacks on Michelle Obama's Anti-Obesity Plan

[samplegirl]

By Dan Mitchell
Posted Wednesday, February 10, 2010 - 12:25pm
Marion Nestle, unsurprisingly, likes Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" initiative to fight childhood obesity, announced yesterday with great fanfare and lots of media attention.

"This is big news," Nestle wrote. "I see much to admire here." The initiative "focuses on kids" and "is sensitive to political realities (it’s called the uncontroversial 'Let’s Move,' not the inflammatory 'Let’s Eat Less' or 'Let’s Eat Better')."

Sure, it's pathetic that "let's eat less" and "let's eat better" could possibly be called controversial, much less "inflammatory." But the food industry and its compliant lackeys among the commentariat have always made sure that this is the case—in recent years, by yelling "nanny state" whenever the government moves to address behavior-based public health issues. But Nestle's right—the careful language will help the program avoid all that nonsense.

http://www.thebigmoney.com

[Captain Hilts]

1. They're silly. As much as I'm tired of 1st ladies doing 'children's issues' this IS an important

one, especially in the black community, which has significantly higher obesity rates. As does the Hispanic community.

[hlthe2b]

5. Of course not as impressive as Laura Bush's Gang work...

I remain amazed at her single-handedly wiping out all the gangs...








:eyes:

[liberalmuse]

2. If you take a look around you...

you will see that obesity is a huge problem in this country, and it is affecting our kids. I see so many kids and young adults these days who are around 40-50 pounds overweight when it wasn't like that many years ago. It doesn't need to be that way, and I'm glad Michelle Obama is focusing on a sensitive but extremely important issue. Our kids are also not active enough. Proper diet and exercise makes a world of difference. I've seen the change in my nephew since he's slimmed down and started riding his bike everywhere. Instead of staying home on the computer or video games like many of his contemporaries, he's out there living life now.

[midnight]

3. The first lady did a wonderful job highlighting a vegetable garden.

I like the focus of better nutrition.

[liberal N proud]

4. There is big money in fat people

Big money in getting people fat and sustaining that size and weight.
Big money in charging more for extra large (Food, clothes, Air Line seats etc)
Big money in medicine for fat people
Big money in trying to get fat people thin again, so they can do it all over again.

It's always about the greed, never about the betterment of man or life.

[handmade34]

8. huge effect

on our already failing health care system.

[liberal N proud]

12. That is that huge profit by big pharmaceutical companies

[MrMickeysMom]

17. More to the point, big money is in the diet industrial complex!

I don't know one morbidly obese person who hasn't tried "many" (as in more than 5 or 6 times) trying Jenny Craig, or Weight Watchers, or some South Beach Diet, and re-gains the weight, or advances the state of obesity through "yo-yo" dieting OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

Think of the continual base of clients who come back to you over and over again, wasting their money until IN DESPERATION, they succumb to bariatric surgery, lap band, or gastric bypass.

This is not only dangerous, it's fucking nuts, when the longer, more thought challenging and physically requiring process is what MICHELLE OBAMA is talking about.

It didn't take overnight to get unhealthy, BUT... the first lady is here to say, there is a lifestyle that we need to infuse and a credo to health that we just need to get back to ...

HOW THE FUCK can obese/heavy/unhealthy people take offense in that? She is saying, "we can get back to basics and be there to guide the next generation to do the same.

[Romulox]

6. It has the potential for some class-based misunderstandings, imo...

Remember the President's "the price of arugula" quip/gaffe from the campaign trail? That sort of thing.

Frankly, the city of Detroit needs a way to get REAL grocery stores into people's communities, not another exercise nag... :shrug:

[handmade34]

10. that is in her plan

http://www.letsmove.gov/accessing/index.html

http://www.ers.usda.gov/FoodAtlas/

"More than 23 million Americans, including 6.5 million children, live in low-income urban and rural neighborhoods that are more than a mile from a supermarket. These communities, where access to affordable, quality, and nutritious foods is limited, are known as food deserts. By using the new interactive Food Environment Atlas, users can see the location of food deserts across the country and other indicators of how successful communities are in accessing healthy food. Lack of access to proper nutrition is one reason why many children are not eating the recommended levels of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Food insecurity and hunger among our children is even more widespread. A recent USDA report showed that in 2008, an estimated 49.1 million people, including 16.7 million children, lived in households that experienced hunger multiple times throughout the year. (Household Food Security in the United States, 2008) Too often, these same school age children are not eating the recommended level of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy products. (source) So, Let’s Move to ensure that all families have access to healthy, affordable food in their communities."

[Romulox]

13. Wow. This is something I really support!

"a partnership between the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Agriculture and Health and Human Services which will invest $400 million a year to provide innovative financing to bring grocery stores to underserved areas and help places such as convenience stores and bodegas carry healthier food options. "

Thanks very much for the link.

[handmade34]

19. Michelle Obama is one smart woman

and I trust she would see this through every angle. I believe that for the movement to work, it will require an entirely new attitude and way of thinking about, seeing, buying and cooking food. ...and the environment in which we eat the food. This is one BIG job. Food has become much more than just nutrition for many people and many of us have lost any rational thinking about how to fuel our bodies. Our unregulated economy has allowed food processors and corporate producers to offer consumers 'real junk'... and pass it off as food. I grew up poor and we ate hot dogs and mac and cheese and yuck and rarely fresh fruits and vegetables. when I left home I 'accidentally' learned about real nutrition and how healthy food can actually be good (tasty, health-wise and nutrition wise) My family made fun of me for eating funny (sprouts and tofu, etc..) and ostracized me for not eating what we grew up on. Food is deep seated, emotional and it will take work to change the culture of junk food.

Exercise is a difficult problem also. When I was little, I climbed trees, ran in the woods, walked all over and explored. These spontaneous activities rarely happen anymore and kids should be all about spontaneity. The lack of money for schools to offer phys ed and the like is problematic also. No easy answers, but a problem that needs to be addressed.

[samplegirl]

14. I agree

Sadly many childrens families do not have the income to eat a healthy diet daily.

[swilton]

7. I Heard Her Interview on the News Hour

I think she will be put on the defensive by the vested interests - and how dare her criticize the American way of life :sarcasm:


But the corporate food industry will be able to make big bucks off of this by creating more 'healthy' junk food.....


Although I hope she succeeds in her efforts for the well-being of the country and our children's physical and economic future, I think that this effort will have little effect

The major way to approach this problem is to attack the systemic problems that contribute to this disgrace..just travel to the ruarl south or southwestern US and you will see how they are all owned by the corporate food industry...a smaller and smaller group of elites that own everything from the packaging on the local supermarket shelves to the scientific research performed to create genetically modified substances that appear as food on those shelves
The country needs to back off of this globalization road and reinvest in local economies supported by local communities with their own agriculture programs. Viva the farmers' markets, viva the local mom and pop restaurants and yes viva those green veggies!

[MrMickeysMom]

18. PLUS ONE! n/t

[blondeatlast]

9. Like clockwork, there was plenty of distortion, "concern," "dismay," and outright

weirdness about it right here in good ol' GD yesterday.

Pure coincidence--suuuuuuuuuuure it was...

[goclark]

20. +1

How anyone could complain about the improved health of our children is beyond me.

I have a lovely lemon tree in my back yard - lemons are now 50 cents a piece. I get them for free and share them with my Friends.

I also, after an inspiration from the First Lady, planted vegetables and they are blooming and are delicious.

Just calling attention to the issue is so important and I was shocked to learn about the rise in Diabetes in young children, That is major!

[KittyWampus]

11. People often feel, when you talk about food choice or weight, that you are attacking them personally

Without even realizing it.

It's an important issue but it does require great sensitivity. And it isn't about not offending big business.

Although I'm sure the Corn Lobby will be apoplectic. Have you seen their ads touting how safe HFCS is yet?

[MrMickeysMom]

15. I'm gonna basically dupe what I said in another thread on this...

...which is basically that it's high time we as consumers act like we control the market!

I think we need a message to cut out useless coupons and purchase highly process, low nutritional value food. If I multiplied my choices by talking to others, the effect becomes significant to consumerism.

I think MO is trying to set a good example. Just look at the way she takes care of herself, has introduced real food, has engaged children in the process, as well as demonstrates how choice is an option.

I say what I buy at the store, I choose what I do with my body, I get to enjoy activities of daily living longer and with more quality because I am in control of that process. It's a good message and probably the most important one I've seen from a first lady.

[saltpoint]

16. Michelle Obama is wonderful.

You go, Michelle.