Mrs. Obama’s 2nd-Term Agenda: ‘Impact Nature of Food in Grocery Stores’

By Elizabeth Harrington
September 4, 2012

First lady Michelle Obama gestures as she speaks at a Let's Move event with children from Iowa schools, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, at the Wells Fargo Arena in De Moines, Iowa, during her three day national tour celebrating the second anniversary of Let's Move. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

(CNSNews.com) – Asked by Parade magazine, "What do you hope to accomplish in your second term?” First Lady Michelle Obama said she wants to "impact the nature of food in grocery stores" with the aim of cutting sugar, fat and salt.

“With 'Lets Move!,' our goal is to end the problem of childhood obesity in a generation,” Mrs. Obama said. “And while we’ve seen some very profound cultural shifts, we still have communities that don’t have access to affordable and healthy foods. We still need to find a way to impact the nature of food in grocery stores, in terms of sugar, fat, and salt.”

Mrs. Obama also discussed the challenge of “educating families” on healthy lifestyles in a society where “TV is rampant.”

“[W]e need to keep educating families about how to structure a life that is healthy in a society where TV is rampant and communities don’t have enough resources in terms of sports and activities,” she said.

As CNSNews.com previously reported, Mrs. Obama’s “Lets Move!” campaign has published an online guide called “Supermarket Shopping 101” that provides tips for shoppers on the importance of making a list and how to navigate a grocery store.

“Steer clear of the cookie, snack and soda aisle until after you’ve collected everything on your list--at that point, your cart should be full, which might make you feel less tempted to buy things you don’t need,” the guide states.

During her time as first lady, Mrs. Obama has made her anti-obesity campaign a top priority. But in the interview with Parade, Mrs. Obama said that in a second term she would add “women’s health issues” to her list.

“How do we strengthen families and make them healthier—an issue not just in America but around the world,” she said.

When asked if women really can “have it all,” Mrs. Obama said that question “limits women.”

“I work with a lot of young women—we have interns coming in and out, and this is always one of the first questions they ask—and the thing I try to remind them is that we have fought so hard for choice and options with our lives, and we’re just getting to that point where we’re willing to embrace all the different facets of womanhood.”