"And let's be clear: It's not enough just to limit ads for foods that aren't healthy. It's also going to be critical to increase marketing for foods that are healthy"
About this Quote
The intent is strategic moderation. Limiting unhealthy-food ads is the stick, but she immediately insists on the carrot: build desire for the good stuff. That’s the subtext most health campaigns miss. America doesn’t merely eat poorly; it’s sold poorly. Obama is translating public health into the language that actually runs the culture: attention, branding, aspiration. “Increase marketing for foods that are healthy” is a subtle admission that information alone won’t beat a billion-dollar snack industry. You need counter-programming.
Context matters: this is the Let’s Move era, when childhood obesity became a national talking point and the food lobby was already poised to paint reformers as scolds. By emphasizing “not enough” and “also,” she disarms the punitive stereotype and reframes the project as pro-choice, pro-consumer, even pro-business - just with different incentives. The line works because it’s not moralizing; it’s pragmatic. She’s arguing that a healthier food environment won’t happen by deprivation. It happens when broccoli gets the same storytelling budget as chips.
Quote Details
| Topic | Health |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Obama, Michelle. (2026, January 18). And let's be clear: It's not enough just to limit ads for foods that aren't healthy. It's also going to be critical to increase marketing for foods that are healthy. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-lets-be-clear-its-not-enough-just-to-limit-22438/
Chicago Style
Obama, Michelle. "And let's be clear: It's not enough just to limit ads for foods that aren't healthy. It's also going to be critical to increase marketing for foods that are healthy." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-lets-be-clear-its-not-enough-just-to-limit-22438/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"And let's be clear: It's not enough just to limit ads for foods that aren't healthy. It's also going to be critical to increase marketing for foods that are healthy." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-lets-be-clear-its-not-enough-just-to-limit-22438/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.






