--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not about government telling people…" description: "\"It's not about government telling people what to do. ... It's about each of us, in our own families, in our own communities, standing up and demanding ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06a/michelle-obama-518_child-obesity_it-s-not-about-government-telling-people_2152177.jpg" --- # It's not about government telling people what to do… ![“It's not about government telling people what to do. ... It's about each of us, in our own families, in our own communities, standing up and demanding more for our kids. And it's about companies like Walmart answering that call.” quote by Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06a/michelle-obama-518_child-obesity_it-s-not-about-government-telling-people_2152177.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06a/michelle-obama-518_child-obesity_it-s-not-about-government-telling-people_2152177.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06a/michelle-obama-518_child-obesity_it-s-not-about-government-telling-people_2152177.jpg) > “It's not about government telling people what to do. ... It's about each of us, in our own families, in our own communities, standing up and demanding more for our kids. And it's about companies like Walmart answering that call.” [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Change comes from grassroots action, not top‑down mandates; families and communities must demand better for children, and corporations should respond. **In simple terms:** Change is driven by community demand, not government orders. Key Takeaway Empower local action and hold companies accountable. Themes activism community family corporate responsibility education Mood inspirational determined Type political motivational When to use this quote - parenting - community organizing - consumer activism - policy advocacy Key Concepts politics social change leadership Questions to Reflect On - What can families do to influence corporate policies? - How can community pressure create lasting change? A Different Perspective Corporate response may be limited by profit motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child obesity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-obesity/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Obesity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obesity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [“We had the schools we wanted, in a way. Parents did not tend to show up at schools demanding that their kids be assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-ripley/we-had-the-schools-we-wanted-in-a-way-parents-did-not-tend-to-show-up/) [Amanda Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-ripley/) > [There's no expert on this planet who says that the government telling people what to do actually does any good with this issue, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/there-s-no-expert-on-this-planet-who-says-that-the-government-telling/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We compete with very large companies. These are companies like Walmart and Target and Kroger and some very successful digital companies like eBay and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-jassy/we-compete-with-very-large-companies-these-are-companies-like-walmart/) [Andy Jassy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-jassy/) > [“The next time you drive into a Walmart parking lot, pause for a second to note that this Walmart—like the more than five thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-next-time-you-drive-into-a-walmart-parking-lot-pause-for-a-second/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [We have to make sure that our kids still feel good about themselves no matter what their weight, no matter how they feel. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-have-to-make-sure-that-our-kids-still-feel-good-about-themselves/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [This year, 1.7 million young people will be participating in Olympic and Paralympic sports in their communities-many of them for the very first time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/this-year-1-7-million-young-people-will-be-participating-in-olympic/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the United States. And what I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/with-this-new-initiative-disney-is-doing-what-no-major-media-company/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [ One of the things I want ... all the kids here to remember, is that these \[Major League Soccer\] stars were not born superstar… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/one-of-the-things-i-want-all-the-kids-here-to-remember-is-that-these/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We are living in a time where we just don't have enough time. People are rushed. They're over worked, over scheduled. Not enough resources.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-are-living-in-a-time-where-we-just-don-t-have-enough-time-people/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We don't need new discoveries or new inventions to reverse this trend. We have the tools at our disposal to reverse it. All we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-don-t-need-new-discoveries-or-new-inventions-to-reverse-this-trend/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake. This isn't the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-physical-and-emotional-health-of-an-entire-generation-and-the/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [You've got to keep your body active, even if that means just turning on some music and dancing for an hour. ...That's how you;ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/you-ve-got-to-keep-your-body-active-even-if-that-means-just-turning/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I didn't just start with ...local city officials because I knew that they would understand the problem. I started with them because I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-didn-t-just-start-with-local-city-officials-because-i-knew-that/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [Since we started the Let's Move! initiative, I've been looking for as many ways as possible to help families and kids lead healthier lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/since-we-started-the-let-s-move-initiative-i-ve-been-looking-for-as/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [In the 10 cities with the nation's highest obesity rates, the direct costs connected with obesity and obesity-related diseases are roughly $50 million per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/in-the-10-cities-with-the-nation-s-highest-obesity-rates-the-direct/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## More by Michelle Obama > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [You work hard for what you want in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/you-work-hard-for-what-you-want-in-life/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward my husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-must-once-again-come-together-and-stand-together-for-the-man-we/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We're starting to see, as the economy improves, that the unemployment rate among veterans and military spouses - we're seeing some improvement in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-starting-to-see-as-the-economy-improves-that-the-unemployment/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [There's so much going on in the healthcare system that makes it difficult for women to really have a strong economic hold if insurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/there-s-so-much-going-on-in-the-healthcare-system-that-makes-it/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [In the 10 cities with the nation's highest obesity rates, the direct costs connected with obesity and obesity-related diseases are roughly $50 million per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/in-the-10-cities-with-the-nation-s-highest-obesity-rates-the-direct/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [What I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckles under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/what-i-admire-most-about-hillary-is-that-she-never-buckles-under/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [A lot of young people think they're invincible, but the truth is young people are knuckleheads... Now young people can get insurance for as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/a-lot-of-young-people-think-they-re-invincible-but-the-truth-is-young/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/one-of-the-lessons-that-i-grew-up-with-was-to-always-stay-true-to/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I have never felt more confident in myself, more clear on who I am as a woman. But I am constantly thinking about my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-have-never-felt-more-confident-in-myself-more-clear-on-who-i-am-as/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [ We got a commitment that 3 million nurses are going to be trained to better identify these signs \[of PTSD\], because, you know, when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-got-a-commitment-that-3-million-nurses-are-going-to-be-trained-to/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We're our kids' first and best role models. So the first question is, what are you as a mom or a dad doing every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-our-kids-first-and-best-role-models-so-the-first-question-is/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I've always tried to make sure that what I do really connects with the broader agenda of what my husband is trying to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-ve-always-tried-to-make-sure-that-what-i-do-really-connects-with/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all of our sons and daughters;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-know-from-experience-that-if-i-truly-want-to-leave-a-better-world/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) [Explore all 504 Michelle Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## More Child obesity quotes > [In the 10 cities with the nation's highest obesity rates, the direct costs connected with obesity and obesity-related diseases are roughly $50 million per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/in-the-10-cities-with-the-nation-s-highest-obesity-rates-the-direct/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [Since we started the Let's Move! initiative, I've been looking for as many ways as possible to help families and kids lead healthier lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/since-we-started-the-let-s-move-initiative-i-ve-been-looking-for-as/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I didn't just start with ...local city officials because I knew that they would understand the problem. I started with them because I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-didn-t-just-start-with-local-city-officials-because-i-knew-that/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [You've got to keep your body active, even if that means just turning on some music and dancing for an hour. ...That's how you;ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/you-ve-got-to-keep-your-body-active-even-if-that-means-just-turning/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake. This isn't the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-physical-and-emotional-health-of-an-entire-generation-and-the/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We don't need new discoveries or new inventions to reverse this trend. We have the tools at our disposal to reverse it. All we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-don-t-need-new-discoveries-or-new-inventions-to-reverse-this-trend/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [If we are serious about combating the childhood obesity epidemic and improving child nutrition, then everyone must chip in -- parents, schools, and yes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/if-we-are-serious-about-combating-the-childhood-obesity-epidemic-and/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [We are living in a time where we just don't have enough time. People are rushed. They're over worked, over scheduled. Not enough resources.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-are-living-in-a-time-where-we-just-don-t-have-enough-time-people/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [ One of the things I want ... all the kids here to remember, is that these \[Major League Soccer\] stars were not born superstar… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/one-of-the-things-i-want-all-the-kids-here-to-remember-is-that-these/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the United States. And what I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/with-this-new-initiative-disney-is-doing-what-no-major-media-company/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [This year, 1.7 million young people will be participating in Olympic and Paralympic sports in their communities-many of them for the very first time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/this-year-1-7-million-young-people-will-be-participating-in-olympic/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We have to make sure that our kids still feel good about themselves no matter what their weight, no matter how they feel. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-have-to-make-sure-that-our-kids-still-feel-good-about-themselves/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I am not asking anyone to take the fun out of childhood. As we all know, treats are one of the best parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-am-not-asking-anyone-to-take-the-fun-out-of-childhood-as-we-all/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [As we confront the child obesity crisis, advergames that promote unhealthy foods to kids are a real cause for concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciana-berger/as-we-confront-the-child-obesity-crisis-advergames-that-promote/) [Luciana Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciana-berger/) > [Childhood obesity isn't some simple, discrete issue. There's no one cause we can pinpoint. There's no one program we can fund to make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/childhood-obesity-isn-t-some-simple-discrete-issue-there-s-no-one/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) [Browse all 29 Child obesity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-obesity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not about government telling people what to do. ... It's about each of us, in our own families, in our own communities, standing up and demanding more for our kids. 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