So two days ago, as I opened my web browser, CNN.com (my homepage) pops up. I then see a picture of the most fabulous woman in America, First Lady Michelle Obama, and an article about her campaign to end childhood obesity. I think to myself, not only is she amazing, she is smart enough to stand behind an issue of great importance to the health status of future adults. Ok, enough with my idolizing.....
In the video seen here, the First Lady makes some really wonderful comments about how vulnerable children, and oftentimes their parents are to food and drink that cause obesity. Many of the key points she made suggested the use of policy to influence a downward trend in childhood obesity.
1. Our kids didn't do this to themselves- federal policy promotes nutritionally lacking school lunches, lack of recess, and tons of foods filled with sodium, corn syrup that are marketed marketed towards our children
2. We must offer parents the information and tools needed to make healthier food decisions for their children. Passing laws that require the dissemination of nutritional information is often a powerful policy instrument. For instance, requiring vending machines to clearly display nutritional information on the products it sells.
3. Encouraging the FDA to pass legislation to improve health literacy by improving nutrition labeling to make them easier to understand
4. Updating and strengthening the Child Nutrition Act which sets the standard for what our children eat in our schools by adding an additional $10 million over the next 10 years
5. These laws will change the norms of society so that healthy living and eating become generational and socially normal and acceptable and these traits are passed on to our future children
These are just a few of the ways we can use policy to influence not only childhood obesity, but other behavioral issues that pose a threat to the health of Americans.
Hopefully, Americans can look at the fabulous Mrs. O and her beautiful children and see that they in fact hold the power to their and their children's healths.
Peace.
Whitney.
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