"…there is a correlation between public awareness and personal action on chronic health…" writes Marc Ambinder in The Atlantic last week. Providing an analysis of the obesity epidemic, Ambinder discusses the problems presented in history and how those problems have morphed. Nutrition will always be a matter of universal concern - it doesn't simply affect one part of the world, one group or even one era - and it has been the subject of public discourse for many years.

Ambinder writes that during World War II, a major concern (due to the struggles of the Great Depression) was ensuring that U.S. soldiers were provided with the nourishment they needed (and in many cases, previously lacked) to be successful. The buzzword nowadays is the reverse and it’s a big one: obesity.

First Lady Michelle Obama has taken the helm as she continues to speak on nutrition and health. Launching the Let’s Move! campaign is an example of promoting the awareness that Ambinder mentioned. While public discourse cannot solve the problem, it can create a forum that builds resources to mitigate the problem over time.

In support of the First Lady's initiative, our companies voluntarily committed to put calorie information on the front of all their packaging, as well as company-controlled vending machines and fountain machines.  Beginning this fall, consumers will have calorie information available at their fingertips at every point of purchase.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) which has teamed up with the First Lady is also recruiting help to change the future of American kids. PE2020 is a program that asks what physical education will look like by the year 2020. The site offers a place where health care professionals, teachers and other community members can try to answer that question in a public forum.

Ambinder writes that the considerations for reducing obesity are greater than simply changing one’s diet. The availability and dissemination of nutritious foods and beverages has also changed, as has the scope of public health research.

Our member companies continue to promote a balanced lifestyle and remain committed to raising public awareness on many health issues. But like Ambinder, we also understand that the solution to the complex issue of obesity requires long-term, comprehensive solutions.