Child obesity Essay

Child obesity is a serious epidemic in America. One in every three kids in America is obese. Michelle Obama speaks at the launch of the â€Å"Lets Move† campaign. In front of cabinet member, senators, representatives and mayors, she discusses the campaign’s plans to fight obesity in America. Our best effort should be deployed to stop this epidemic that degrades the lives and future of our children by arming parents with the tools they need, equipping our school systems with healthier foods, making healthier foods available for our communities, and getting our kids to exercise more. Ms. Obama understands that not all parents have the necessary tools to make the right choices for their children. Even if the parents read a label on a food item, they may not understand what it means. The â€Å"Task Force on Child Obesity † movement will help to make food labels â€Å"consumer friendly† so parents can make better choices when buying food. The â€Å"Task Force on Child Obesity † will also help parents understand that they are responsible for building healthy habits in their kids, such as exercise . However, when the kids are at school the parents cannot control everything their children eat. Our schools do not serve healthy foods to our kids. Twice a day out kids eat unhealthy meals served at the schools. Ms. Obama said â€Å"If our kids are not getting adequate nutrition, even the best teachers will not be able to teach them effectively†(Obama 331). The kids need more fruits and vegetables in their diet. The â€Å"Child Nutrition Act† would give our school healthier standards. It would replace empty calorie meals with more fruits and vegetables, the fruits and vegetables they need for effective learning and brain functions. If the school are feeding our children unhealthy foods twice a day, it would undo the healthy eating habits learned at home. Once our schools begin to serve the healthy foods our kids need, the next step would be to ensure the parents have access to healthy food choices and not just fast food restaurants. Not all neighborhoods have grocery stores nearby to supply the community with healthy foods. If we invest 400 million dollars to build grocery stores around the country, we could eliminate â€Å"food deserts† in our communities. Not only will it give the parents a healthier choice over fast food restaurants, but it will also create jobs. Once the children are getting the nutrition they require, at home and at school, the last step is to get them to exercise more. Motivating our kids to exercise  can be done in various ways. Giving more â€Å"Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards† to kids who complete a specific exercise program is a great start. Hiring NFL, WMBA and other professional athletes is another way we will motivate our children to get more exercise. Child obesity is destroying the future of our children, but Ms. Obama outlines how we can stop it. By initiating the â€Å"Task Force on Child Obesity †, upgrading cafeteria food in schools, eliminating â€Å"food deserts†, and motivating out kids to exercise we can stop this growing epidemic . Ms. Obama effectively communicates her concerns and solutions in her speech. She also gives great examples as to why the parents are not always aware to the problem or may not have the options to help the situation. Although her intentions are well placed, I’m not convinced that her approach to solving child obesity is the most effective. Something should be done and if nothing else is being done about the obesity problem at least this will raise awareness.