Is Michele Obama changing American’s diet?

After years of investments in severe regulations towards the food industry and efforts to raise awareness for long term effects of “junk food diet" without encouraging results, the industry starts exhibiting signs that a different behaviour. More important, it’s a change led by consumers that is forcing the both retailers and restaurants to evolve and delivery healthier alternatives.

Walmart announced it’s putting special labels on some store-brand products to help shoppers quickly spot healthier items. Nationwide American restaurants chains like Red Lobsters are spontaneously including side fruits and vegetables in kid’s menus.

These are two examples of what is understood as an open and direct response from the food industry to Mrs. Obama “Let’s Move” program initiated 3 years ago. Facing a consolidated 30% rate of child obesity, the U.S. is since long ago investing to fight the disease. Recent results indicated a small decrease in a substantial number of states mostly due mostly to initiatives before 2010 “Let’s Move” program.

So what has really changed?

Despite some initiatives from congress to implement “sticker” regulation in the industry, the Obama’s administration seems to have chosen the less obvious, harder and long term strategy to induce change by education.

The strategy has been to run a positive campaign teaching families and their children what to eat, how to eat and how to integrate exercise in your daily routine. Opting to raise awareness of the benefits of a healthier life style instead of engaging in legal and political war to implement regulation towards the industry is getting the first shinny results.

In recent surveys lead by the food retailers, a growing number of individuals declared that eating healthier were important for them. Although is difficult to measure, the growing number of food programs and alternative methodologies to cook healthier seems to be reaching a wider audience. 

Initiatives like “Let`s Move” or Mayor Blomberg are getting so much public support that the industry choses to embrace it rather than fight it.  

We are still a long way from a major swift in overall menu's quality, but both consumers and industry seem to be going in the right direction by integrating healthier food habits in their lives. 
At the end of the day, one may wonder how much of this change is due to Mrs. Obama efforts, but facts prove beyond shadow of doubt she is playing an important role on it.