Food Policy Since 2009: The Obama Administration’s Policies and Michelle Obama’s Bully Pulpit

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the efforts by First Lady Michelle Obama to use the bully pulpit to influence U.S. food policy and considers the interactions of her formal policy with the policy efforts of her husband, President Barack Obama. Topics include the White House Garden as a demonstration garden for healthy eating and an analysis of the four aspects of her Let’s Move campaign:

• Healthy Choices: better nutrition labeling, a revamped food pyramid, and regular monitoring of the body mass index (BMI) of children.

• Healthy Schools: reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act for improved school lunches and expansion of the Healthier US Schools Challenge, a 2004 initiative to recognize schools that are reaching certain goals concerning promotion of nutrition and physical education.

• Physical Activity: revamping the President’s Physical Fitness Challenge program and increasing participation; and enlisting professional athletes to encourage kids to exercise 60 min per day.

• Access to Affordable Healthy Food: eliminating urban and rural food deserts.

The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of criticisms of Michelle Obama’s efforts—mostly from conservative Republicans.

Some kids have never seen what a real tomato looks like off the vine. They don’t know where a cucumber comes from. And that really affects the way they view food. So a garden helps them really get their hands dirty, literally, and understand the whole process of where their food comes from. And I wanted them to see just how challenging and rewarding it is to grow your own food, so that they would better understand what our farmers are doing every single day across this country and have an appreciation for … that American tradition of growing our own food and feeding ourselves.

(Michelle Obama at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 5/3/13, Holecko 2013)

As a mom, I know it is my responsibility—and no one else’s—to raise my kids. But what does it mean when so many parents are finding that their best efforts are undermined by an avalanche of advertisements aimed at their kids? And what are these ads teaching kids about food and nutrition? That it’s good to have salty, sugary food and snacks every day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

(Michelle Obama at the Grocery Manufacturers Association, 3/16/2010, Holecko 2013)

I forgot what election she [Michelle Obama] won again? Oh wait, she never ran for any office that gives her the authority to do this. So while the First Socialist of the United States forces her new foods laws down our throats, she is out there piging [sic] out too. Have you seen the amount of unhealthy food her [sic] and her husband eat? Do as I say, not as I do apparently.

(D’Andrea 2012)