First Lady Michelle Obama and then Governor Sarah Palin once shared a common sense approach to exercise and healthy eating.Let's Move!, a campaign sponsored by Michelle Obama, state on their website:
Parents and caregivers play a key role in not only making healthy choices for children and teaching children to make healthy choices for themselves. But in today’s busy world, this isn’t always easy. So Let’s Move! offers parents and caregivers the tools, support and information they need to make healthier choices while instilling healthy eating habits in children that will last a lifetime.
Sarah Palin, in her last State of the State Address, 2009:
We have alarming levels of heart disease, diabetes, childhood obesity – and all of these maladies are on the rise. Now, I won’t stand here and lecture – for very long – but health care reform on an individual basis is often just this simple: we could save a lot of money, and a lot of grief, by making smarter choices.
It starts by ending destructive habits, and beginning healthy habits in eating and exercise. In my case, it’s hard to slack when you have the ever-present example of an Iron Dogger nearby. But many of us could use a little more time in our great outdoors – and when you live in the Great Land, there’s no excuse.
Protecting good health is largely a matter of personal responsibility, but government policy can help. Our new Alaska Health Care Commission will recommend changes that affect the well-being of Alaskans far into the future.
Sarah Palin, for no other reason than to slam any initiative embraced by the Obamas, decided to abandon common sense:
Sarah Palin appears to worry a lot more about her children's mistakes making into the pages of the National Enquirer than about their health.
She definitely doesn't worry about the health of other children either:
Jamie Oliver has a lot of common sense regarding healthy eating and he also has a no-nonsense way of speaking his mind:
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver called Sarah Palin a Froot Loop for criticising the Obama administration's healthy eating initiatives, and said getting healthy foods to kids is a civil rights issue.
Improving what children eat at school alone can have a far-reaching, positive effect on their habits and health as adults, Oliver said at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival.
He said he doesn't have much faith that government will lead the way, but said the administration of President Barack Obama is on the right track.
Mrs Palin, in contrast, "clearly on this issue is a Froot Loop", he said in a reference to the highly sweetened breakfast cereal.
The health of the nation's children may not be a priority for Sarah Palin, but as she's so keen to talk about wasting money and is an expert on what weakens the economy, perhaps putting a price tag on obesity might help her regain her common sense:
Obesity Related Disease Costs Overwhelm HealthCare System
• Type II Diabetes ($63.14 Billion)
• Osteoporosis ($17.2 Billion)
• Hypertension ($3.23 Billion)
• Heart Disease ($6.99 Billion)
• Post-menopausal breast cancer ($2.32 Billion)
• Colon Cancer ($2.78 Billion)
• Endometrial Cancer ($790 Million)
Cost of Lost Productivity
• Workdays lost: $39.3 Million
• Physician office visits: $62.7 Million
• Restricted Activity days: $29.9 Million
• Bed-Related days: $89.5 Million
Sarah Palin appears to be for something before she's against it, depending on how many political points she can score. Compromising children's health for her own ends is simply despicable.
Previous post about children's health on Palingates.
