There has been a disturbing amount of talk over the last few days about Michelle Obama’s comments regarding her daughters’ weight. These articles are truly beginning to frighten me as it seems everyone is more concerned with her political correctness than the message.

The “how dare she” outcry is grating my few remaining nerves. She did not get up on a stage and call her daughters “fat” as so many over- zealous commentators from the bulimia brigade are claiming. Are we Americans so utterly lacking in self-esteem and proud of our nutritional ignorance that we must automatically assume that anyone who is told their dietary choices may not be perfect is guaranteed a life full of eating disorders?

It seems Sasha and Malia’s pediatrician “was concerned that something was getting off balance.” Now, I think those are the words of a responsible doctor looking out for the health and welfare of his patients. I don’t see him forcing those girls to start sticking their fingers down their throats.

Let’s face it. Kids love junk food. Adults love junk food. And most people would rather sit down with a bag of Doritos than a plate of baby carrots any day. How often do we pick something up at the drive-thru because it’s easier or cheaper or we just don’t have the time to make a real meal while we are so on the go and it’s just so much easier than another debate with a 4-year-old about the benefits of eating their green beans. Oh wait, now we can go out and order those green beans fried—perhaps a few more people will consider that a healthy serving of green vegetables.

So, were the First Daughters handed a Slim-Fast and marched off to some Biggest Looser-Style Boot Camp? No. The family made some simple changes. They ate fewer burgers. Water and apple slices were sent in their lunch boxes instead of sugary drinks and chips. More veggies were served at dinner, and oh, the kicker, they put grapes on the breakfast table. Seriously? People are outraged over this? People need to get their heads out of the bottom of their chip bags and get a grip. These are not elements of a “diet.” They are small dietary changes that every household should be making, lifestyle choices that don’t necessarily even have to do with weight and body image, but HEALTH. My kiddo gets apples in his lunch every single day. I am certainly not trying to get him to lose weight, he is skinny as a rail. Oh, wait, maybe the fact that he has grown up eating fruits for snacks instead of chips may be a contributing factor. And he is healthy, which is my primary concern. According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years and nearly 20% of kids 6 to 11 are obese. Am I the only person that finds this disturbing? It’s not their jean size that I care about. These kids are not getting a fair chance of a healthy life. And we as parents are responsible.

Apparently, 68 percent of U.S. adults are considered overweight and a third are obese. I have had a horrible week dealing with some of the consequences of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. I have been trying to cope with the loss of a loved one who was repeatedly told by his doctors to lose some weight, stop eating so much sodium and fat, and get some exercise. My hubby and I have been trying for years to get some family members to understand that they do not need to diet, they just need to make healthier choices. But to them it is all or nothing. You either eat prime rib washed down with half a cheesecake for dinner every night or boiled egg whites. We have several other family members who seem to be boasting about their growing waistlines, and I am fearful that we are going to be repeating this grievous situation again and again. And they are passing these habits along to their kids, which is utterly unfair to them. It does not have to be this way. Honestly, I don’t care how they look in a bathing suit. It’s not about appearance. I want them to lead long and healthy lives, free from high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

I am also quite fed up with people saying I don’t understand because I am skinny. And usually “skinny” is said with an audible sneer as if I have some kind of wasting disease they don’t want to catch. I was lucky enough to be raised with good eating habits. Growing up we didn’t eat fast food. We had balanced, low-fat meals. Chips were a treat saved for company and the only time I ever had a soda was when I went to the movies–and even then it was a diet. Sure, I was jealous that my friends always had an unlimited supply of Oreos while mine were carefully rationed in zip-lock bags. And yes, when I escaped to college I temporarily went on a junk food binge because I never was able to eat Fruit Loops for breakfast before. But then I grew up and realized that maybe Mom was right all along.

And I understand genetics can be a bitch. My husband has high blood pressure and cholesterol even though he is thin and fit, so we must pay attention to what he eats to combat those nasty numbers and keep them under control. My In-Laws sometimes treat me like a pariah for causing my family great suffering because I don’t always have bags of Lays lining my pantry nor do I feed them real bacon for breakfast each day. Every time I must calmly chant to them, “I feed my hubby well because I actually like him and I plan on keeping him around for a few years. We don’t have enough life insurance for me to feed him crap.” They still don’t get it.

Every child should have the chance to lead a long and healthy life. As parents it is our responsibility provide them with nutritious foods and to teach them them how to make the beneficial dietary choices that will be the basis for what they eat for the rest of their lives. Teaching a child that carrots are a better snack than Cheetos should not send them on the path to an eating disorder, but instead provide them with the habits to maintain a healthy body and mind. I applaud Ms. Obama for speaking out on a subject that too many of us are too scared or too lazy to bother ourselves with. It takes a strong mother to admit she may may not be a perfect parent in a normal life–to admit it on the National stage takes guts I can’t imagine. We all need to step up to the plate and follow her example. Our children deserve it.