Let's Move! is a challenge to all Americans to take action to end childhood obesity. First Lady Michelle Obama is taking the lead in these efforts for making healthy choices and healthier schools, getting physically active and ensuring access to affordable, healthy food.
After reviewing the webiste, I am impressed with the available educational materials and focus on physical activity challenges. If we want to meet the challenges of overweight and obese children, it will have to come from our communities and the commitment of both parents, students, and school leaders.
My degree in nutrition and years of work in the field left me cynical; that's ugly, I know, but I'm cynical nonetheless. The sheer volume of nutrition information for profit that bombards the public makes a relatively simple nutrition message confusing and frustrating to the consumer. The marketing millions and subsidies for corn are two very big obstacles. If the school is dependent on funds from the school cafeterias and vending sales then, again, I fall back on my cyncism because what sells is always what is served.
As an inactive dietitian, I am not yet supportive of removing, taxing, or demonizing sugar-containing beverages in schools, i.e., soda. To educate someone about nutrition is to help them make choices in every situation using three main ideas: variety, balance, and moderation. Fruit juices are not the empty calories of soda but they do have calories nonetheless so again variety, balance, and moderation will need to be the guide for making food decisions.
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