“Let's Really Move” Asks White House to Get Junk Food Out of School Lunches

PCRM’s “Let’s Really Move” ads in Washington, D.C., tried to get the stalled “Let’s Move” campaign back in gear this summer. School children on the print ads asked that milk, cheese, and hot dogs, which contribute to obesity, diabetes, and cancer, be moved out of school lunches.

The ads canvassed the Union Station Metro stop, near the U.S. Senate, and featured Benjamin, a 6-year-old New Jersey boy who states, “Let’s move hot dogs out of my school lunch.” Sarah, a 9-year-old Georgia girl says, “Let’s move cheese out of my school lunch.” A Pittsburgh family says, “Let’s move milk out of school lunch.”

The “Let’s Move” campaign has abandoned any major effort to improve the nation’s nutrition, focusing instead on noncontroversial recommendations about exercise. That strategy will not combat skyrocketing rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

“We greatly respect the first lady for taking on the challenge of ending childhood obesity within a generation,” said PCRM president Neal Barnard, M.D. “To reach that goal, we will need a much stronger program, and these advertisements show a way to make sure the message is clear.”

In a letter to first lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Barnard asked that “Let’s Move”:

• Combat the myth that increased exercise can compensate for poor eating habits
• Address government subsidy programs that perpetuate less-than-healthful diets
• Work with Congress to stop retailers from profiting from sales of junk food under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps
• Promote plant-based diets, which have been shown to be more effective than other diets for achieving long-term health and weight control

To learn more, visit LetsReallyMove.org.