Hot Topics: From the Podium to the Dinner Table: Michelle Obama Identifies with Eating Habits and Behavior Change

The first lady is first and foremost a mother, just trying to get her kids to eat healthy.  Her ‘Let’s Move’ campaign that launched nationwide back in February encourages higher levels of physical activity among children, healthier foods in schools and more truthful food labeling.  While she has been making strides to change the progression of childhood obesity across the nation, her attention was diverted to her family.  The Obama’s pediatrician expressed concern for her daughters’ BMIs.  “In my eyes, I thought my children were perfect,” the first lady said. “I didn’t see the changes.”

To address this issue, the first lady stands by ‘small changes, big results’ and over the past few months has made an effort to reverse the weight gain of her daughters.  Msnbc.com mentions some of the small changes that she implemented: “No more weekday TV. More attention to portion sizes.  Low-fat milk.  Water bottles in their lunch boxes.  Grapes on the breakfast table.  Apple slices at lunch.  Colorful vegetables on the dinner table.”  At the girls’ next doctor visit, he was amazed by the results after looking over their charts.  The small changes did indeed lead to big results.

She had the best of intentions coming public with this personal issue; to share the good news that all it takes are small changes to get our countries youth on track.  Many publications have been criticizing her for possibly sending “the wrong message with obesity comments.”  Those who criticize feel the comments about her daughters’ BMIs call attention to their bodies in a negative way, highlighting weight loss instead of behavioral change.  “When we speak publically about putting our children on a diet, we start to get into weight stigma and confusing the message to families,” says Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh, an eating disorder activist and executive director of Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Disorder.

The flipside argues that her attempt to connect with the American population, who can relate to similar circumstances, is beneficial to the public and does more good than harm.  “The fact that she made this public, about her own … modest changes she made was exactly that – that this is a public conversation about what we’re all doing,” American Academy of Pediatrics president Dr. Judith Palfrey told ABC News.  “It’s like a neighborhood conversation except that it’s national, about how we live.”

Her campaign against obesity is now even more legitimized to her personally, as this has really hit home for her and her family.  It stands now that approximately one in three children are either overweight or obese.  From what I can see, Michelle has done a great job at being a healthy role model for her children.  Her initiative is promising and the fact that she serves as a living example of how changes can be implemented is encouraging.  It is so great to have her on our side.  Check out the video to hear straight from Michelle:
http://michelleobamawatch.com/2010/01/remarks-by-first-lady-michelle-obama-at-childhood-obesity-event/

II’d love to hear your comments – do you think her attempt to identify with the public is a recipe for success or was she wrong to call out her daughters?