17.5.10

Let's Move

The unflattering reputation that Americans have garnered in the minds of so many other countries- that we are fat, stupid, arrogant and ill-informed- might seem overly harsh and judgmental. But the troubling part about this critical stereotype is not the ego-blow that we suffer in the global popularity contest. I'm sure our political arrogance and militaristic bullying can take care of that. Rather, the troubling part of this stereotype is that it's kind of true, a fact which has some serious detrimental connotations for our overall well-being. The United States is currently facing a super-sized obesity epidemic; our rates of diet-related diseases are astronomical. But the most disturbing part about all of it is the fact that these unhealthy indicators are starting to become apparent earlier and earlier in life, with young children now being grossly affected by this epidemic of overweight.

In 2008, data from the CDC indicated that nearly 20% of U.S. children aged 6-11 were classified as obese. According to the Mayo Clinic, about one in three children in the United States are considered to be overweight or obese, putting them at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and early puberty. All over the country, states and cities have been struggling to cope with this massive issue by implementing various public health approaches to curb the fatty disaster, and are being faced with enormous social and financial challenges. In Kansas, researchers and parents alike are baffled by the 91% increase in girls' obesity rates over a period of only 5 years. In Ohio, the public school system is unable to allow even 30 minutes of physical activity during the school day because of a lack of funding to do so, leading to an increased risk of overweight. And in Washington, D.C., where childhood obesity levels are the highest in the nation, a measure to fund public school nutrition programs by taxing sugary beverages is being fought back by the super-sized soda lobby (Coca-Cola and company), who have already paid upwards of $5 million to block the measure.

So, it would seem that the new federal Let's Move! campaign, headed by First Lady Michelle Obama, would be coming not a moment too late. The program's goal is to target childhood obesity by providing access to affordable, healthy foods and by increasing childrens' physical activity. It would seem that Mrs. Obama, who has repeatedly invited Mcarthur Fellow and sustainable food grower Will Allen to the White house, who boldly planted an organic vegetable garden on that same immaculate lawn, and who speaks out regularly on the troubling issue of childhood obesity and nutritional health, would be a firm and committed supporter of local, sustainable food movements. However, the focus of the program so far has not been on grassroots food campaigns working to provide communities with access to healthy, organic foods. Rather, the focus of our first lady's campaign is on the big industrial food producers. That's right. Yesterday, Michelle Obama announced a partnership with industrial food giants such as Kraft, Pepsi Co, Coca-Cola, Cambell, Kellogg, Con Agra, and Sara Lee to combat the nation's obesity crisis.

These same behemoths of the food industry who regularly and exclusively distribute non-nutritious edible food-like products are now gaining recognition and praise for their pledge to reduce the caloric count of their "foods" by a rate of 1 trillion calories annually. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, its false positive blurs the reality of the obesity epidemic that we are facing. It is going to take much more than just a simple reduction in caloric content for our children to become holistically healthy. It is also vital to address issues such as food deserts, where fresh produce is not available for miles around; we must focus on funding and supporting community-based sustainable food growing projects, to empower communities' souls and enrich their bodies. We must also focus on the one determinant which inspires the very name of the program: movement. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has praised the Let's Move! commitment to physical activity, citing the importance of making our streets safe for children and adults alike to walk and bike in their neighborhoods.

It remains to be seen whether this incredibly high-profile initiative will take root at the grassroots level, and whether it will have an effect on the obesity rates in our country. Enforcing a commitment from some of the biggest criminals in childhood obesity, while a valiant effort to pierce the belly of the beast, is also serving to bolster these companies by garnishing their image in the public eye, making them seem more cuddly, and thus more marketable. Still, it seems as if the first lady's approach is quite multifaceted, accounting for various determinants of childhood obesity, and implementing a range of approaches to target this tragic issue in our society. And if her past actions hold any indication of her tenacity and commitment to food issues, then surely Mrs. Obama deserves our preliminary trust. And once the media blitz dust settles, we will see what kinds of effects the program has actually had on the wellness of our nation's children.

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