Michelle Obama has started a campaign against childhood obesity in the US, saying that it is a problem that concerns her both as first lady and as a mother.
Michelle
Obama
has
started
a
campaign
against
childhood
obesity
in
the
US
,
saying
that
it
is
a
problem
that
concerns
her
both
as
first
lady
and
as
a
mother
.
Mrs. Obama said that the fight was designed to encourage people to live healthier lives, but admitted that she herself was not immune to the temptations of junk food.
Mrs.
Obama
said
that
the
fight
was
designed
to
encourage
people
to
live
healthier
lives
,
but
admitted
that
she
herself
was
not
immune
to
the
temptations
of
junk
food
.
"I love hamburgers and fries.
``
I
love
hamburgers
and
fries
.
And I love ice cream and cakes.
And
I
love
ice
cream
and
cakes
.
And so do most kids," she said.
And
so
do
most
kids
,
''
she
said
.
But she added: "We' re not talking about a lifestyle that avoids all that."
But
she
added
:
``
We
'
re
not
talking
about
a
lifestyle
that
avoids
all
that
.
''
"The question is how we help people balance that out so that they're not facing life-threat-ening illnesses, but they're enjoying their food, they're eating their vegetables, they're doing teir running and walking and playing and still have time to get a good, fun meal in every once in a while."
``
The
question
is
how
we
help
people
balance
that
out
so
that
they
're
not
facing
life-threat-ening
illnesses
,
but
they
're
enjoying
their
food
,
they
're
eating
their
vegetables
,
they
're
doing
teir
running
and
walking
and
playing
and
still
have
time
to
get
a
good
,
fun
meal
in
every
once
in
a
while
.
''
One in three American children is overweight or obese, patting them at higher risk of develop- ing diabtes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other illnesses.
One
in
three
American
children
is
overweight
or
obese
,
patting
them
at
higher
risk
of
develop-
ing
diabtes
,
high
blood
pressure
,
high
cholesterol
and
other
illnesses
.
Billions of dollars are spent every year treating obesity related conditions.
Billions
of
dollars
are
spent
every
year
treating
obesity
related
conditions
.
"None of us wants this future for our kids," Mrs. Obama said at the White House.
``
None
of
us
wants
this
future
for
our
kids
,
''
Mrs.
Obama
said
at
the
White
House
.
"We have to act, so let's move."
``
We
have
to
act
,
so
let
's
move
.
''
Her campaign has four parts: helping parents make better food choices, serving healthier food in school vending machines and lunch lines, making healthy food more affordable, and encouraging children to exercise more.
Her
campaign
has
four
parts
:
helping
parents
make
better
food
choices
,
serving
healthier
food
in
school
vending
machines
and
lunch
lines
,
making
healthy
food
more
affordable
,
and
encouraging
children
to
exercise
more
.
The campaign, which Mrs. Obama hopes will be seen as her gift, is aimed at solving the childhood obesity problem in a generation, so that children born today can reach adulthood at a healthy weight.
The
campaign
,
which
Mrs.
Obama
hopes
will
be
seen
as
her
gift
,
is
aimed
at
solving
the
childhood
obesity
problem
in
a
generation
,
so
that
children
born
today
can
reach
adulthood
at
a
healthy
weight
.
"This isn't like a disease where we're still waiting for the treatment to be discovered.
``
This
is
n't
like
a
disease
where
we
're
still
waiting
for
the
treatment
to
be
discovered
.
We know the treatment for this," she said at the starting ceremony.
We
know
the
treatment
for
this
,
''
she
said
at
the
starting
ceremony
.
President Barack Obama praised his wife for dealing with what he called one of "the most urgent health issues facing the country."
President
Barack
Obama
praised
his
wife
for
dealing
with
what
he
called
one
of
``
the
most
urgent
health
issues
facing
the
country
.
''
"This has great promise in improving the health of our children, in giving support to parents to make the kinds of healthy choices that are often very difficult," he said.
``
This
has
great
promise
in
improving
the
health
of
our
children
,
in
giving
support
to
parents
to
make
the
kinds
of
healthy
choices
that
are
often
very
difficult
,
''
he
said
.
Michelle Obama has started a campaign against childhood obesity in the US, saying that it is a problem that concerns her both as first lady and as a mother.  Mrs. Obama said that the fight was designed to encourage people to live healthier lives, but admitted that she herself was not immune to the temptations of junk food.  "I love hamburgers and fries. And I love ice cream and cakes. And so do most kids," she said. But she added: "We' re not talking about a lifestyle that avoids all that."  "The question is how we help people balance that out so that they're not facing life-threat-ening illnesses, but they're enjoying their food, they're eating their vegetables, they're doing teir running and walking and playing and still have time to get a good, fun meal in every once in a while."  One in three American children is overweight or obese, patting them at higher risk of develop- ing diabtes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other illnesses.  Billions of dollars are spent every year treating obesity related conditions.  "None of us wants this future for our kids," Mrs. Obama said at the White House. "We have to act, so let's move."  Her campaign has four parts: helping parents make better food choices, serving healthier food in school vending machines and lunch lines, making healthy food more affordable, and encouraging children to exercise more.  The campaign, which Mrs. Obama hopes will be seen as her gift, is aimed at solving the childhood obesity problem in a generation, so that children born today can reach adulthood at a healthy weight.  "This isn't like a disease where we're still waiting for the treatment to be discovered. We know the treatment for this," she said at the starting ceremony.  President Barack Obama praised his wife for dealing with what he called one of "the most urgent health issues facing the country."  "This has great promise in improving the health of our children, in giving support to parents to make the kinds of healthy choices that are often very difficult," he said.