Hot Topic (2/11): Were Michelle Obama's comments about her daughters out of line?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

The cause is unassailable. One in three American kids, about 25 million, are obese or overweight. Obesity-related diseases cost the healthcare system $150 billion a year. And the rate of obesity in kids tripled in the United States between 1980 and 1999, an epidemic blamed on lack of exercise, a poor diet that's heavy on fat and sugar and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables.

Now, First Lady Michelle Obama is making the issue her own, spearheading a campaign to inform parents about choices and schools about their responsibilities, urging everyone to get up and move. Her goal: Eliminate childhood obesity within a generation. "We can't afford to wait," she says.

And everyone is applauding -- President Obama, who is pushing for reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act with a "historic"  $10-billion investment over 10 years to improve the quality of school meals; the Centers for Disease Control, which has launched its own campaign on the issue; as well as the Disney Corp., which is planning public service announcements about the need for kids to exercise.

In an era of partisan trench warfare, the first lady, who calls herself the mom-in-chief, could be the glue that unites a divisive Washington.

But in interviews about the campaign, the first lady has been tracing her interest in the issue to weight gains by daughters Sasha and Malia when they were younger. When a pediatrician in Chicago expressed concern over the girls' fluctuating weight, said their mother, "I had a wake-up call."

Now, some critics are questioning whether using her own daughters as examples is fair to them. "Was it hurtful to her girls?" asked one blogger who focuses on Mommy issues. Psychology Today even questioned the first lady for using the word "chubby" to describe her daughters.

While her heart is in the right place, Michelle may not have considered or been familiar with the delicate balance between preventing obesity and triggering eating disorders. She mentioned that she put her children on a diet after her pediatrician and their father felt they were getting “chubby.” Words like “chubby” don’t cause eating disorders but they are often a trigger to disordered eating behavior. As an eating disorder professional, we would strongly caution parents from using labels or prerogative words to describe their child’s weight as this has lasting impacts on a child’s self esteem.

But the anecdote about her kids is more about her own education than theirs. After the pediatrician flagged the issue, Obama said she made modest changes -- making sure portion sizes weren't too large, switching to low-fat milk, replacing sugary drinks with bottled water, offering plenty of fruits and "colorful" vegetables, making sure they got out and exercised. "The next time we visited our pediatrician, he was amazed," she reported. "He looked over the girls' charts and said, 'What on earth are you doing?' "

That's kind of the report card she's hoping for for the nation. In her remarks today, she said:

That was a moment of truth for me. Today, it's time for a moment of truth for our country. ... Our kids didn't do this to themselves. Our kids don't decide what's served to them at school or whether there's time for gym class or recess. Our kids don't choose to make food products with tons of sugar and sodium in super-sized portions and then to have those products marketed to them everywhere they turn. And no matter how much they beg for pizza, fries and candy, ultimately, they are not, and should not, be the ones calling the shots at dinnertime.

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What do you think?

Was it inappropriate for Michelle Obama to use her daughters as examples of childhood obesity?

Is the criticism she is receiving unwarranted?

 

 

[tericared]

People really need to lighten up.....She didnt come out and say my girls were fat and I put them on a diet.....It is a fact of like American kids are for the most part over weight, and for the most part some parents dont want to admit it...I say good for her for making this personal....She seems like a good Mom who in her interviews have some very sound judgement concerning her girls... I think they will be fine...

[Joqui]

One thing is saying that you put your children on a diet because their peditrician felt that they were "chubby" and another thing is saying to a child.. "you are chubby" "you are fat" ... growing up my aunt use to tell me I was fat and that I had a roll.. I think I was healthy but it made me self conscious as a teenager constantly looking at myself in the mirror wondering what's wrong with me? I only weighed 115 lbs! I wish my parents would have stood up and decided on a healthier life style for me.. to this day I lack energy to do anything I am still self conscious though I know I am not "fat",... things have to change for what's best for our children... I think we are over analyzing what she said instead of looking at the bigger picture at hand

[Arroree]

What do you think?

Was it inappropriate for Michelle Obama to use her daughters as examples of childhood obesity? I didnt take it as her using them as an example of childhood obesity, i see it as her saying that even the parents of relatively healthy weight children need to be aware of what their kids are eating and how much exercise they're getting.  I find it very much appropriate.

Is the criticism she is receiving unwarranted?I think its just a case of people wanting a reason to be upset.  Give it a few weeks and people will start claiming that their childs eating disorder is all Michelles fault.  No matter what she had said someone would be up in arms about it. Look how crazy some went when she got off the plane in shorts in 100 degree weather *how dare she not want to get heatstroke*

[lovinmykiddo07]

Quoting tericared:

People really need to lighten up.....She didnt come out and say my girls were fat and I put them on a diet.....It is a fact of like American kids are for the most part over weight, and for the most part some parents dont want to admit it...I say good for her for making this personal....She seems like a good Mom who in her interviews have some very sound judgement concerning her girls... I think they will be fine...

[lnicole]

 I don't think it's an issue at all.

[home-sweet-home]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

I wonder, if in her fight against obesity, she will also mention how nursing helps decrease obesity and also fight all the additives put into our food to cause obesity.

[litninbug]

  Childhood Obesity is a widespread problem in this world. The electronic age and tv. have created a problem because children are exercising less and more attention is on video games, computer use. Schools are trying to integrate more exercise in the schools and better school lunches but children need to continue these habits at home also.  The first lady was wrong for using her kids as examples to childhood obesity. They both probably have struggled with it, but she had no right to publicly use them as examples. If your child has a weight issue, it is never right to refer to them as "obese". Words are damaging!!! She deserves the criticism she is receiving. She isn't no skinny mini herself.

                              litninbug

 

[retsillacam]

What do you think?I think she made excellent points!

Was it inappropriate for Michelle Obama to use her daughters as examples of childhood obesity? She didn't, she said she wanted  her children to be healthy and live long enough to see their children, grandchildren and maybe even great grandchildren grow up.

Is the criticism she is receiving unwarranted?absolutely!

[stormcris]

I feel it was inappropriate and harmful. I say this from seeing my daughters own pain from her grandmother mentioning to someone she was chubby and that one comment sent her down a road that is still a struggle. It made her terribly obsessed with her weight and to have made that public like Michelle Obama did could put her daughters in a spotlight where the press will monitor their weight like they do celebrities. Let's face it public opinion is cruel and those kids do not need their mother adding fuel to the media's fire.

[Jordan25]

I think its ridiculous!  People are always trying to catch the first family"with their pants down" so to speak.  I think what she is doing is great.  By mentioning her family she humanized them and showed the public that they aren't perfect and know that they are not.  She is the first lady for crying out loud!  Nothing about her life is going to be kept a secret or the lives of her children for that matter.  I think its better she brought it up before some crazy Obama hater started posting pictures of the girls when they were younger and calling them fat!  I think that would be far more hurtful toher children!  Additionally, those girls are going to have to become pretty tough cookies if they haven't already!  There is negativity in the media about their family all the time!