"The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake," stated First Lady Michelle Obama on February 9, 2010 at the launch of Let's Move, her campaign to lower the risk of obesity in our children and to promote healthy habits. Sounds pretty commendable, but not everyone agrees.
Childhood Obesity: The Physical and Financial Toll
One in three children is now either obese or overweight. One third of children born in 2000 will face chronic health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and asthma. The chance of getting these ailments is greatly increased by being overweight or obese. Half of the U.S. population may be obese by 2030, with related health care spending up to just under a trillion dollars. Of 34 industrialized countries, we are second fattest, edged out by Mexico.
The cost to the country is unsustainable. At the present rate, the cost of obesity may be four times as much in 2018 as it was in 2009. Health costs are now 17% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and this may double in 15 years. At that point, one-third of every dollar spent may go to health care.
"America's obesity problem is a weapon of mass destruction destined to cause another financial crisis," according to Stanley Feld, M.D., M.A.C.E., on his blog, Repairing the Healthcare System. If the epidemic is not stopped, "an increase in the complications of chronic disease can cause an economic meltdown."
The First Lady's "Let's Move" campaign includes these goals:
- for parents to create a healthy environment at home, with ideas for nutrition and activities
- for schools to improve nutrition and integrate activity
- for neighborhood and faith-based organizations to foster activities for healthy living
- for local government officials to adopt plans to fight childhood obesity
- to engage the kids to move more and eat healthfully
Criticisms of the Let's Move Program
The First Lady has been criticized for focusing on this issue. Regarding her healthy food suggestions, such as leaving a bowl of fruit out in the kitchen for kids to grab, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin said, "Just leave us alone. Get off our backs and allow us to exercise our God-given rights to make our own decisions and our country will get back on track." Governor Palin has not worked as a school nurse as I have and seen children arriving in the morning holding candy bars and fast food French fries. In reading the program for "Let's Move", you will not find the government or anyone else ordering anyone to do anything. You will find suggestions to parents on how to increase intake of healthy foods, with emphasis on fruits and vegetables as well as suggestions on engaging communities and schools in the plan.
Michelle Malkin, as quoted on her webpage, mocks Michelle Obama for "playing the national security card." She claims our military is in no danger from obesity. According to the Washington Post, April 23, 2010, there are 132 generals, admirals and other senior military leaders that don't agree. In a letter written by former Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army General John Shalikashvili (Ret) and U.S. Army General Hugh Shelton (Ret), "We consider this problem so serious from a national security perspective that we have joined 130 other retired generals...in calling on Congress to pass new child nutrition legislation...our country is facing another serious health crisis. Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and future strength of our military. We must act as we did after World War 2 to ensure that our children can one day defend our country, if need be."
It should be noted that in 2008, 634 recruits were discharged because of "don't ask, don't tell." However, 4,555 were discharged for failing to meet military standards.
More than 9 million young Americans of recruiting age are too heavy to join up. Only one in four young adults is eligible for military service, and obesity is one of the main reasons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 40% of young people age 17-24 are overweight or obese in 39 states, up from only one state a decade ago.
Former Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was quoted in the New York Post as saying, "This is no longer just a health issue (or) an economic issue. It's become an issue of national security."
The Breastfeeding Battle
A study at the Institute for Policy Research of Northwestern University shows that breastfed babies are, on average, 14 pounds lighter in adolescence when compared with formula-fed siblings. They followed 488 sibling pairs, one breast-fed and one bottle-fed. The conclusion was that breastfeeding "significantly reduced the likelihood" of becoming obese as a teenager. "We were surprised by the magnitude of these findings," said the study"s lead author. "We had certainly expected the causal link between breastfeeding and obesity to weaken, not strengthen under this more rigorous research design."
Another study reported in the journal Pediatrics showed that babies breastfed for the first four to six months were less likely to be overweight or obese than children who were bottle-fed and started eating solids before four months.
Michelle Malkin has found contradictory results, quoting Rebecca Goldin, research director of George Mason University's Statistical Research Service who, after reviewing a number of studies, says the literature is inconclusive, noting that there is a correlation between formula feeding and obesity in babies up to age four, but after that, it goes away.
However, the National Institutes of Health reviewed nine studies involving more than 69,000 participants which showed that breastfeeding reduced the risk of obesity "significantly." The CDC also reviewed studies that showed "the greater the duration of breastfeeding, the lower the odds of overweight."
To further encourage breastfeeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that breastfeeding is also associated with "higher cognitive ability, lower incidence of respiratory infections, and fewer allergies in the baby, and lower risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes in the mother."
"Let's Move" also advocated the use of breast pumps by working moms, and a tax deduction resulted. This immediately brought on criticism from Congresswoman Michele Bachmann(R-Mn). "This is consistent with where the hard left is coming from...for them, government is the answer to everything...to think the government has to go out and buy my breast pump for my babies." I can assure Rep. Bachmann that a government bureaucrat would not come to her door with a breast pump. The breast pump deduction is to encourage another means to fight the obesity menace, which in the words of Governor Huckabee,"is a problem not only affecting children, but the welfare of the nation....what Michelle Obama is proposing is not that the government tells you that you can't eat dessert - people should realize that we have a serious obesity crisis." New Jersey Governor Chris Christie adds that he feels the criticism is unnecessary. "I struggled with my weight for 30 years. If a kid can avoid that... more power to them and I think the First Lady is speaking out well."
A Little Humor in a Serious Situation
Radio and television commentators have their say:
- Rush Limbaugh said, "Leaders are supposed to be leaders. If you're supposed to eat nothing, if we're supposed to eat roots and berries and tree bark, show us how."
- Glenn Beck said, "So now we're going all out to have government limit the food choices available at our kids" school..." "They'll limit what we can watch on TV, what ads we can run and how long we can watch. No doubt we'll start mandating certain kinds of activities as part of this wonderful government campaign."..."They are coming and they are slowly but surely taking away your freedom under the guise of helping you."
- John Stossel said, "If the government is allowed to dictate our diet, what's next? Do they start deciding who we'll marry, where we'll work?"
It must be remembered that radio and television personalities are first and foremost entertainers.Their main concern is ratings. The more outrageous, the better. Perhaps Mr. Beck's comments went over the top in New York City where he was removed from talk radio WOR-AM for low ratings.
Marjorie Picard - Marjorie Picard, RN, a former school nurse and journalist, stays current on health issues and has written frequently on them.
