As part of her ambitious campaign to eliminate childhood obesity in one generation, First Lady Michelle Obama speaks frequently about kids' health, nutrition, and fitness. These Michelle Obama quotes are a sample of some her comments on these topics.
"In the 10 cities with the nation's highest obesity rates, the direct costs connected with obesity and obesity-related diseases are roughly $50 million per 100,000 residents. And if these 10 cities just cut their obesity rates down to the national average, all added up they combine to save nearly $500 million in healthcare costs each year." –National League of Cities conference, 3/15/2011
"It's not about government telling people what to do. ... It's about each of us, in our own families, in our own communities, standing up and demanding more for our kids. And it's about companies like Walmart answering that call." –Announcement of Walmart's Nutrition Charter, 1/20/2011
"We can all agree that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, all children should have the basic nutrition they need to learn and grow and to pursue their dreams, because in the end, nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our children. ... These are the basic values that we all share, regardless of race, party, religion. This is what we share. These are the values that this bill embodies." –Signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, 12/13/2010
"Parents have a right to expect that their efforts at home won't be undone each day in the school cafeteria or in the vending machine in the hallway. ...Parents have a right to expect that their kids will be served fresh, healthy food that meets high nutritional standards." –Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signing
"Child hunger and child obesity are really just two sides of the same coin. Both rob our children of the energy, the strength and the stamina they need to succeed in school and in life. And that, in turn, robs our country of so much of their promise." –Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signing
"Childhood obesity isn't some simple, discrete issue. There's no one cause we can pinpoint. There's no one program we can fund to make it go away. Rather, it's an issue that touches on every aspect of how we live and how we work." –Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference, 9/15/2010
"We can make a commitment to promote vegetables and fruits and whole grains on every part of every menu. We can make portion sizes smaller and emphasize quality over quantity. And we can help create a culture — imagine this — where our kids ask for healthy options instead of resisting them." –National Restaurant Association Fall Board Meeting, 9/13/2010
"We are living in a time where we just don't have enough time. People are rushed. They're over worked, over scheduled. Not enough resources. ...But the thing that I want people to understand in this campaign is that families can make small manageable changes in their lives that can have pretty significant impacts." –Let's Move live web chat, 7/13/2010
"African American children are significantly more likely to be obese than are white children. Nearly half of African American children will develop diabetes at some point in their lives. People, that's half of our children. ...We can build our kids the best schools on earth, but if they don't have the basic nutrition they need to concentrate, they're still going to have a challenge learning." –NAACP 101st National Convention, 7/12/2010
"You're all here for the same reason—because you appreciate the power that food can have in our lives. ...Each of you has so much to offer when it comes to helping our children make healthy choices. You know more about food than almost anyone—other than the grandmas—and you've got the visibility and the enthusiasm to match that knowledge.
–"Let's Move!" Chefs Moves to Schools Event, 6/4/2010
"We don't need new discoveries or new inventions to reverse this trend. We have the tools at our disposal to reverse it. All we need is the motivation, the opportunity and the willpower to do what needs to be done. ...With this report, we have a very solid road map that we need to make these goals real, to solve this problem within a generation."
–Press conference announcing childhood obesity task force report, 5/11/2010
"Our kids didn't do this to themselves. They don't decide the sugar content in soda or the advertising content of a television show. Kids don't choose what's served to them for lunch at school, and shouldn't be deciding what's served to them for dinner at home. And they don't decide whether there's time in the day or room in the budget to learn about healthy eating or to spend time playing outside."
–Childhood Obesity Summit, 4/9/2010
"We have to make sure that our kids still feel good about themselves no matter what their weight, no matter how they feel. We need to make sure that our kids know that we love them no matter who they are, what they look like, what they're eating."
–Let's Move Town Hall, 4/7/2010
"As a mom, I know it is my responsibility—and no one else's—to raise my kids. But what does it mean when so many parents are finding that their best efforts are undermined by an avalanche of advertisements aimed at their kids? And what are these ads teaching kids about food and nutrition? That it's good to have salty, sugary food and snacks every day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"
–Grocery Manufacturers Association, 3/16/2010
"Kids who participate in school meal programs get roughly half of their calories each day at school. ... This is an extraordinary responsibility. But it's also an opportunity. And it's why one of the single most important things we can do to fight childhood obesity is to make those meals at school as healthy and nutritious as possible."
–School Nutrition Association, 3/1/2010
"The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake. This isn't the kind of problem that can be solved overnight, but with everyone working together, it can be solved. So, let's move."
–Let's Move launch announcement, 2/9/2010
