The Green Room

Two years later, the nation is on the move

By Andrea Thomas on February 14, 2012 Leave a comment

Andrea Thomas at the Walmart Healthier Foods Announcement in Washington D.C.

Two years ago this month, First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off Let’s Move, targeting childhood obesity and focusing Americans on exercise and good nutrition. What has happened since? Don’t miss Ezekiel J. Emanuel’s New York Times story yesterday, which is an excellent, concise overview of how we have already changed as a nation.

We now have healthier food in our schools, restaurants and grocery stores, and 80 percent of Americans recognize that childhood obesity is a pressing issue, Emanuel says.

I had the opportunity to stand with the First Lady twice over the last year, and support her efforts to get America moving and focused on our children’s health. Walmart joined with her by launching a healthier foods initiative which includes opening stores in food deserts, labeling healthier foods for shoppers, and making the food we sell healthier. Here’s how Emanuel described it in yesterday’s piece:

There has also been important progress in the private sector. Walmart, Walgreens, Supervalu and other smaller grocers have promised to build or expand 1,500 stores that sell fresh fruits and vegetables in communities without access to healthy food.

Let’s Move is a great example of what we can achieve by working together: business, government, NGOs, academia and the American people themselves can create change on a large scale by working in partnership. None of us can solve big issues alone, but together, we will have a better, more sustainable world.

The First Lady summed it up well a year ago as we announced our Healthier Foods Initiative:

 Are folks really interested and ready to make the kinds of changes that are going to be necessary to get our kids in a healthy place?  Is what we’re doing actually going to make our kids better?

But today, when I see a company like Walmart launch an initiative like this, I feel more hopeful than ever before that the answer to these questions is yes.

Efforts like this show us that yes, we can improve how we make and sell food in this country.  We can do that.  And we can feed our kids better.

What else should we be doing as a country, and as partners, to improve nutrition?

What changes have you made in your life to fight obesity?