Obama Concerned About Child Obesity

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   Good Afternoon,
   
   I’m writing to share a startling prospect: due to rising levels of childhood obesity, our Nation’s youngest generation could actually face a shorter expected lifespan than its parents.
   
   That’s unacceptable. As Americans, we all work tirelessly to provide a better world for the next generation. As a mother, I can tell you that nothing is as important as a child’s health.
   
   The problem is clear. Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in this country have tripled. Today, obesity and excess weight threaten the health of one out of three American children.
   
   It’s time for us to act. That's why I’m asking you to be part of Let's Move! -- a nationwide effort to solve the obesity epidemic within one generation. Learn more here:
   
   Today, pediatricians treat children with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even Type II diabetes. Teachers see bullying and teasing in class. School counselors see kids with depression and low self-esteem. Coaches see kids struggling to keep up or stuck on the sidelines.
   
   Obesity affects our economy as well. Our country spends nearly $150 billion treating obesity-related conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. We can expect that number to grow unless healthy changes occur.
   
   I hope you’ll take a moment to join community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, moms and dads across the country. Together, we will work to help our kids eat better and lead active, healthy lives.
   Thank you,
   
   Michelle
   
   First Lady Michelle Obama
   The White House
   
   P.S. We’ve posted a special video about this effort to LetsMove.gov. Check it out.

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      Brenda Durhamposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'm so sick of hearing the Obama's saying something is "unacceptable."
      They care about how much a child eats, but they don't give one whit about teaching children good morals.
      
      The Obamas are unacceptable to me.

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         china manposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I am English but live in China and an observer - why are the Obamas unnacceptable, from out here they seem to be some kind of logical response to the Bushes who were (generally) seen all around the world, outside America, as totally unnacceptable . I am also interested in what not teaching kids morals is about also?
         This is genuine question - not a poke

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            Brenda Durhamposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Obama has, in many instances, made it clear that he's anti-Christian, anti-Life, anti-the-sanctity-of-traditional-marriage,  and he makes a point of trying to lead America's children into those attitudes and anti-morals, through his own words and through the choices he's made for Cabinet members.
            
            Our education system is being manipulated by him and Michelle and our Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and his underlings.
            I guess you'd have had to have seen the speeches I've seen and watched his and Michelle's actions/words during his Campaign and current Presidency to really understand.   Unless of course you're just as liberal and immoral as they are.
            
            America was based on many many good things, good attitudes, good morals, fair laws.   While there were times when America's leadership veered off-course during each Administration, NONE of them until this current one have had the audacity to tout stupidity and immoral non-values at the rate this one does.

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         blue dogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         maybe the parents should teach their children good morals.  granted, for many that would be a challenge.

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   Hokeyposted 14 years ago

   Hmmmmmm.......  Not sure what to make of this. It's been done before by other first ladies. It is just hard to believe that they are sincere and not just putting on an act.

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      Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Just curious. Did you see Michelle Obama speak about this on television? She seemed quite sincere to me.

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   rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

   so what is the problem? an act?? trying to help our overweight children. and... this is bad?
   
   mikel, he posted a letter.

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      Hokeyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      No. Not bad at all. Helping kids is wonderful. Just hoping they will follow through and not use obese kids for political grandstanding. That's all.

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         rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I hope not also, and I really don't think it would be. the point being to help these children and families.

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         Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I don't think Michelle Obama is engaging in "political grandstanding," and I wonder what motivates you to say that?? Is that the GOP party of NO line?

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   Yes this is a letter sent out today by Mrs Obama...I simply wondered what you thought.....

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      rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think anything and anyone and anyway that we can get the word out to help this increasing problem is important. thanks for posting it.

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   Mikel G Robertsposted 14 years ago

   My thoughts:
   
   Childhood and adult obesity is a problem in the U.S. and it is getting worse. The country is a mess and this is yet another thing that we need to fix.

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   peptalkposted 14 years ago

   An act????
   
   That is possibly the most ridiculous thing I've read today!
   
   What do you believe, the first lady is just pretending to care about something?  I can understand if you don't like her, but really!  I didn't like Barbara Bush either but I didn't assume that here "Just Say No" campaign was an act!
   
   Childhood obesity IS a serious problem in this country.  I think moving around and loosing weight is only a small part of the solution though.  We, as a country, need to learn that beauty goes beyond our looks and our weight and try to find some compassion for each other.  If we don't have compassion and a child doesn't feel loved and accepted, no matter what their weight, then they won't get healthier.

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      torimariposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with your 2nd paragraph. First, weight discrimination needs to have more attention. It's ok to rip every ounce of security within a fat child out, which only inhibits their bad health habits and poor sense of self that triggers it.
      
      Not only for children, but people who are inconsiderate to fat people, are not helping them want to lose weight and better themselves. It kills self worth and kills motivation so they go back to their comfort: food.
      
      I've seen full grown adults give looks and insult overweight people to their faces. Younger and when I was heavier, I had this problem all the time.

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         peptalkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I have overheard 'well meaning' parents say to their children, especially little girls, if you could only fit into that dress (or those jeans or that skirt) you would look so pretty.

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            rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            that is painful for a little girl to hear, she understands what it means. I've seen this in the classroom also, a child will say about another child, she's fat. I remember one girl saying it about another child, and she sensed that is was wrong to say, and said the word, 'fat' softly.  so a teachable moment for a teacher!

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   china manposted 14 years ago

   Here in China if you want to see fat kids you can always find 'em in McDonalds and KFC. Western diet generally is fat waiting to happen. The biggest difference I see herre is that snacks are generally nuts, dried fruit, various bits and pieces of meat and veg pickled and shrink wrapped - and most popular are every kind of sunflower, pumpkin, etc., kind of seeds that keep you occupied for hours with almost no intake! The other big difference is almost no dairy products. These two would appear to be the biggest things but then everybody also eats mostly fresh local food from the market which avoids the profit packing of processed foods with various powders that fatten for no reason except profit.
   
   And thinking about it - people often get fat by eating as a substitute for love, or maybe care is a better word. We in the west 'show' affection by giving kids things; kids are not so stupid that they don't know we are 'buying them off'. Here kids are treasured and cared for every minute of the day because it is normal for the grandparents bring up the kids while the parents work, almost no day-care, no given bags of snacks and sat in front of the tv or computer in their room while the adults do something else. With the grandparents all day and their parents all evening they are kept occupied, interested and part of the family.

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      peptalkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      We are a purely consumer economy.  We push high fat, quick fix foods because companies make more money on them than they do basic ingredients. 
      
      We also push negative self image in order to sell everything from laundry detergent to beer.  If you buy this.... you will like yourself and people will love you.  If you wear this you will be beautiful.
      
      We have to get beyond the bill of goods we are being sold and start looking at what those goods are doing to us as a nation.

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         Hokeyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         We are an instant gratification society. Everything has to be fast and convenient. Fast food. Drive thrus for restaraunts, banks, drug stores, 3 minute carwashes, microwaves etc...
         Too much convenience encourages laziness and I agree with advertising always pushing physical perfection = happiness. People are not perfect and the unability to see and accept this is a great cause of suffering.

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            peptalkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            And we start teaching our kids this crap before they can even talk!  You must stay clean, your hair must be perfect, you need to wear cute dresses, you need to have the best toys.... blah, blah, blah, blah!

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               rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               it's programmed in very young. you can hear 3 and 4 year old girls saying why they like their friends, it's almost always about their clothes, or hair, something about the way they look.
               

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   It is now 8.15 am in Ireland - after I posted this thread last night I had to go out - so I am only now this morning catching up on the discussion - well done to everyone who contributed - very interesting reading - perhaps someone could do an interesting Hub on this using Mrs Obama's letter to kick it off Thanks and keep the comments coming......

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   Dame Scribeposted 14 years ago

   O, she must've read my article jk, I wish, lol

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Dame I will be reading that right now, you know if you email it to her she may well be interested and write back to you, dont sell yourself short, imagine if she writes back then you can add a real dynamic to your work

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    Dame Scribeposted 14 years ago

    I enjoy getting their letters too and love how the White House is on twitter compared to Canada ahem

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Indeed, but you should really tap into this resourse, who knows you may be asked to do a talk

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    Dame Scribeposted 14 years ago

    I rarely get caught on a camera hide in the closet to blush n probably need search n rescue to find me for a tv show lol, just way too shy

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Now stop with the shy, time to get your good work out there wher eit belongs

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    Misterlakposted 14 years ago

    I think it’s really good that she wrote that letter. It’s really a problem in the Western world and people should really pay more attention to it, especially parents. I can understand that most parents both work these days and got less time to prepare a proper meal, but it’s not an excuse for letting children go obese. You have the responsibility as a parent to make sure your child eats healthy. But I also think schools can really help with this problem to provide a healthy lunch. I don’t think you can put the blame at the KFC’s of this world, because you will always have unhealthy food. Maybe it’s more a problem of awareness, that a lot of people don’t see the consequences of obesity?

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       peptalkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Even if both parents work, or a single parent has to deal with the cooking, keeping healthier snacks in the house and selecting healthier staples isn't that difficult.
       
       My grandmother once prepared sandwiches for me and my cousin:
       White Wonder Bread
       Miracle Whip
       Spam
       Velveeta
       with a nice glass of Cool Aide to wash it down!
       Is there any food actually involved in that meal?
       
       As for your point about school lunches.... do our schools even know what healthy food looks like?  The teach the food pyramid in class and then send the kids off to eat stuff that's not even on it!

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          Misterlakposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I do wonder if schools even know what healthy is, but yeah they maybe don't have the responsibility of making sure that childern eat healthy, but they sure can play a big part in it. For example give childern free fruit every day? And teach childern about the dangers of unhealthy living.

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    Sab Ohposted 14 years ago

    An important issue to draw attention to, but Mrs. O had better mind that giant backdoor of hers or it'll start to look a little hypocritical.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Sab Oh - hear what your saying -

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    MikeNVposted 14 years ago

    It's just PR.
    
    You can't legislate eating habits.

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       Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       You can quite easily - in a police state

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    rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

    when you have a platform to teach and educate, why not use it?
    she's not the first one. 
    
    parents need to wake up and put the bags of chips away and learn how to feed their children.

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    rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

    you self appointed annointed ones.
    
    the point is to educate and help our children. you guys can think what you want.   must be tiresome...

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    Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

    Face it Ralph, to some on here no matter what the Obama's do will be wrong in their eyes.

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    Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

    I guess we can't all be as perfect as you are Brenda.
    
    How dare you say that anyone who is more liberal in their beliefs than you are is immoral.

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    rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

    I often wonder how some people wake up and face a new day.
    
    so many authorities on this site that know the obama's better than they themselves do. pathetic.

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    Brenda Durhamposted 14 years ago

    Uninvited Writer,
    I said the Obamas and Arne Duncan are immoral.  I won't recant that, because it's the truth.
    How dare I say anything I say?
    Because I have the right to.
    
    Let me put it this way----
    
    When a man is allowed to stand in front of all America and speak blasphemies and teach immorality,  I most certainly have the right to say he's an immoral person and his position as leader of this nation is totally unacceptable.
    
    And I've never said I'm perfect at all.
    You're the one who's trying to manipulate that word.

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       PrettyPantherposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Funny how you hear blasphemies and immorality.  I see a man who is a wonderful father to his children, a knowledgeable and articulate professional, and a calm and effective leader.
       
       It's all in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?

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          Brenda Durhamposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          It's also in the ear of the listener.
          
          Gee, I bet Obama could stand up and say he's gonna choose who's worthy of living or dying,  and instead of standing up to him, many people would say "pick me, pick me"!

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             PrettyPantherposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Of course you would think that.  You seem to be incapable of understanding that someone who sees the world differently than you isn't necessarily evil because of it.
             
             I'll leave you to your judgments.  IF there is an afterlife, I suspect you're in for a rude awakening. 
             
             Enjoy your evening, Brenda.

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       Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Brenda, you're making stuff up out of whole cloth. You have the imagination of Lady MacBeth.

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    Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

    It is your opinion and you are poisoned against Obama and write things into what he says and does that are not there.
    
    And he was elected by the majority of American's, not for you to say he doesn't deserve to be there.

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    Brenda Durhamposted 14 years ago

    He doesn't deserve to be there.

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    Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

    And that is your opinion, he was elected.
    
    I'm with you Rebkaelle, I'm outa here.

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    Brenda Durhamposted 14 years ago

    I don't care if he was elected and selected and protected and erected like a god-figure by the majority.  He still is wrong for this country.

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    Brenda Durhamposted 14 years ago

    Everything isn't good just because it's different.

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    Brenda Durhamposted 14 years ago

    I'll leave you to your judgemental attitude toward me, as well.

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    Brenda Durhamposted 14 years ago

    Hogwash.

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