While speaking to food companies, media companies and other groups at the White House Wednesday, First Lady Michelle Obama said they should not use their cartoon characters to market junk food to kids, The Hill reported.
"The fact is that marketing nutritious foods to our kids isn't just good for our kids' health, it can be good for a company's bottom line," she said.
The gathering was part of Obama's "Let's Move" campaign designed to make people eat, drink and act the way she wants. It also follows her latest campaign to make people drink more water.
A study by the Rudd Center at Yale University found that children see 13 food commercials every day as a result of the $1.8 billion spent every year in marketing.
But Obama now wants companies to only use cartoon figures to market healthy food, saying it can be good for the bottom line.
"I'm confident that you can market healthy foods to kids and stay competitive and marketable," she said, observing that Bird's Eye saw a 20 percent jump in sales when it used the cast of Nickelodeon's "iCarly" show.
She also demanded companies not license their characters for marketing junk food and praised Walt Disney Co. for limiting junk food ads.
According to Obama, the goal is for "kids to actually start pestering us for those foods in the grocery."
"I'm not asking anyone to take the fun out of childhood," she added, telling companies that healthy eating is becoming the norm for children.
She also said the issue would not go away once she's gone.
"There's a few thinking in a few years this lady is gonna be gone," she said to laughter.
"I didn't create this issue and it's not going to go away three and a half years from now when I'm no longer first lady," she added.
The White House did not release a full list of participants.
Related:
- Eva Longoria, Michelle Obama to tell Americans to drink more water
- Media Matters' researcher: Criticizing Michelle Obama's 'drink up' effort racist
- Obama parties in Las Vegas as New Yorkers dumpster-dive for food
- First Lady Michelle Obama vacations in luxury while taxpayers struggle
- Michelle Obama sports 40K in diamonds at fundraiser while Americans struggle
- Chris Rock: Obama 'boss' of America, president and Michelle Obama 'mom and dad'
- Actress Jessica Alba encourages voters to pledge allegiance to Barack Obama
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