Obama's interview on health and fitness priorities to be published in a health magazine

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama speak candidly about health and fitness priorities for the country and their family in exclusive interviews that will appear in the October 2009 issues of Men’s Health and Women’s Health, respectively. The October issues hit newsstands on Tuesday, September 15.

President Obama, who appears on the cover of Men’s Health for a second time, turned to the publication to speak directly to the 12 million Men’s Health readers at a critical juncture in the health care debate. The President, himself a prototypical Men’s Health guy, explains how health care changes will affect American men and their families. President Obama previously appeared on the cover of the November 2008 issue of Men’s Health, which was on newsstands when he was elected.

Inside the pages of Women’s Health, First Lady Michelle Obama opens up about health, fitness and nutrition, and the significant roles each have played in the first family’s life; she also discusses her unique role in advocating for health care reform. Plus, Women’s Health got the exclusive scoop on Mrs. Obama’s famously well-toned arms by getting the exercises she performs straight from her long-time personal trainer, Cornell McClellan.

“It’s a pivotal time in the health care debate and Men’s Health is the perfect forum for the President to speak to millions of smart health consumers,” said David Zinczenko, SVP/Editor-In-Chief of Men’s Health. “And politics aside, it’s important to note that the Obama family, just like Men’s Health, believes in a healthy lifestyle and taking responsibility for your own health.”

“First Lady Michelle Obama leads by example—she is dedicated to her fitness and to making smart food choices for herself and her family,” said Michele Promaulayko, Women's Health Editor- in-Chief. “Since our readers are committed to the same healthy lifestyle, I know they’ll be motivated by Mrs. Obama’s candid and inspiring words.”

Select quotes from President Barack Obama’s exclusive interview with Men’s Health:

President Obama’s views on the health care system and how it needs to change…

“Even when I was a community organizer— I was paid $13,000 a year—I benefited from the fact that the guy who hired me insisted that I get health care as part of the package. And, you know, at the age of 24, 25, you think you’re immortal. So I was thinking to myself, boy, I could use that money to pay the rent. But he was very firm about everybody having health care, and I think that he did me a great service during that time.”

“Personal responsibility is going to have to be a component of it. But I think it’s very important, before we start talking about personal responsibility, just to be clear about the facts. We spend more on health care [each year] per person than any other nation on earth. It also turns out, contrary to people’s assumptions, that we are actually a little healthier than Europeans and some of our other counterparts, primarily because our smoking rates are much lower. Now, if the current obesity trends continue, that could reverse itself. But not only do we smoke less, but we have a younger population.”

“It’s important for us to recognize that even if Americans were a lot healthier than they are now—had reduced our obesity rates below where they are now—we still would have probably one of the most inefficient health care systems out there. So how we change our delivery systems, how we make sure that people have coverage so that they’re not going to the hospital for very expensive emergency-room care—those are all issues that have to be dealt with as well.”

“Look, obviously if you have the best care in America, you have the best care in the world. We have great doctors here, we have great hospitals. The technology that has been developed—oftentimes through free-market initiatives—can greatly enhance people’s quality of life. And a lot of your readers are, if they’re like me, weekend warriors on the basketball court. They’re looking at knee replacements and hip replacements so they can stay active. Those things do cost money.”

“I think one of the changes that has happened— even since I was a kid—when I looked at my grandfather, at 55 he already looked old,” he continues. These days, at 55, people are in the prime of life. It’s a sign that if you have good health care, if you have the capacity to exercise, if you’re able to take care of yourself— and a lot of that ends up being tied to economics—then people can be healthier than ever. But unfortunately, a lot of people don’t have those same options. And that’s part of the push behind health care reform—how can we make sure that all of us have the options of living healthier lives, which in turn will save us all money in the long term?”

The importance of a bowl of apples in the Oval Office…

“It was our first step toward health reform.”

Understanding the importance of prevention…

“My grandfather had prostate cancer, which means that I’m very well aware of some of the specific concerns of men, but also the importance of prevention.”

On the prospect of a “war on obesity”…

“Well, first of all, I don’t think it’s a war. As I said, my mother struggled with weight—and I know that some of it was just genetic. But part of it was she grew up in a generation where, unfortunately, women weren’t always encouraged to be athletically active. She didn’t get into those early habits that my daughters are already in, because they play soccer and are consistently active. So it’s an example of how socialization can make a difference, particularly with our kids.”

On the idea of “sin taxes” on soda, and other sugar-laden products…

“I actually think it’s an idea that we should be exploring. There’s no doubt that our kids drink way too much soda. And every study that’s been done about obesity shows that there is as high a correlation between increased soda consumption and obesity as just about anything else. Obviously it’s not the only factor, but it is a major factor.”

“Obviously there is resistance on Capitol Hill to those kinds of sin taxes. Legislators from certain states that produce sugar or corn syrup are sensitive to anything that might reduce demand for those products. And look, people’s attitude is that they don’t necessarily want Big Brother telling them what to eat or drink, and I understand that. It is true, though, that if you wanted to make a big impact on people’s health in this country, reducing things like soda consumption would be helpful.”

President Obama on how health care reform will affect the men of America…

“A lot of middle-aged men are losing their jobs and are going to have a tougher time getting employed. Now, our first strategy is to make sure they find jobs with good health care. But that’s why their ability to buy into some sort of health care plan with subsidies is so important. We know that the costs for men are actually a little cheaper than the costs for women when it comes to health care during childbearing years. But once you get into your 50s and 60s, then men tend to have more problems. So that cohort of men in their 50s up through the time they qualify for Medicare, making sure that they’ve got someplace to go is critical. Our health care reform plan would give them some sort of security.”

“The other thing is, the prevention and wellness requirements that we want to build into insurance can be very helpful for men, because in some cases men may be less likely to get regular checkups and preventive screening. I had a friend in Chicago who started a program with lower-income African American men, who could go into barbershops to have their blood pressure checked and other basic screenings, because they were so unlikely to visit a doctor’s office. And if we can make sure that insurance companies for people who do have health coverage are not providing a disincentive for people to go in and get those screenings, I think that can end up preventing a lot of disease as well.”

“My grandfather had prostate cancer, which means that I’m very well aware of some of the specific concerns of men, but also the importance of prevention.”

On the President’s 6-day workout schedule…

“My blood pressure is pretty low, and I tend to be a healthy eater. So I probably could get away with cutting [my workouts] back a little bit. The main reason I do it is just to clear my head and relieve me of stress.”

Staying cool under stress…

“I ask [my team] to design my schedule in a way that focuses not just on what’s coming at us, but on being active instead of reactive.”

“[I] carve out time to think, which is probably the most important time for somebody who’s trying to shift an organization, or in this case, the country.”

Select quotes from First Lady Michelle Obama’s exclusive interview with Women’s Health:

Michelle Obama on her role in the health care debate…

“I intend to advocate for the issues I care most about: access to primary care, [disease] prevention, wellness, nutrition, and combating childhood obesity. These issues get directly to the heart of the health care debate. Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States and are an incredible drain on the system.”

“The American people remember the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Health insurance reform must make health care more than just sick care. [It] must improve the health of our nation by investing in critical prevention and wellness initiatives that help keep Americans healthy and out of the hospital in the first place.”

On how Michelle Obama’s childhood shaped her understanding of health…

“My father had multiple sclerosis, so I never took health for granted, because I saw a father that at the prime of his life was struck with an illness that completely changed his life.”

“We couldn’t afford to go out to dinner, so [it] was a rare treat. We would have a theater class on Saturdays, and [afterward] if Dad turned left we were going to McDonald’s, and if he turned right we were going home, and we’d always go, “Go left, Dad! Go left!” The few times he went left, it was like Christmas! And we got pizza on report card day. That was a reward, pizza. Dessert was given sparingly. We would get ice cream, three little pints, and we would eat out of those for days. You’d get little scoops: Here, you get a little chocolate, you get a little butter pecan, and that would be it. Those values—even though they were the result of economic circumstances—were really good, and they created some pretty healthy boundaries about food.”

Michelle Obama on growing up with drive and discipline and instilling it in her children…

“I wanted to be smart. I wanted to be the person who had the right answer. I lived in a community where being smart wasn’t necessarily the cool thing to be.”

“My mother said, ‘That’s your choice. Don’t do it for me, do it for yourself.’ I heard that in my head every single day: ‘I’m doing this for me.’ I ran into people who doubted me, who didn’t think I could do certain things. I viewed that as a challenge, and that never stopped me. That always made me push harder. Barack and I want to instill that same work ethic and focus in our daughters so they, too, can achieve anything they want to.”

The importance of eating together…

“Dad’s office is just downstairs, and it’s rare that we don’t have dinner together. No matter what’s going on, he sets aside that time. Dinner time is at 6:30 p.m., and he comes in, we sit down. I think this week was an odd week because we ate dinner together the other night, and he said, ‘Wow, we haven’t done this in a couple of days.’ We say our thanks, our prayer—we usually take turns. We sort of do a blessing, say a grace, and then, you know, we have the tradition of just going around and talking about our days, the good and the bad aspects.”

Michelle’s Obama’s White House rules…

“During the school year, no TV, no computers during the school week. Only on weekends.”

The Obama girls’ involvement in the White House garden…

“They’re probably as interested as the average kids would be interested in anything that their parents are doing. It’s their backyard and it’s like . . . eh . . . eh . . . you know? [Laughs] But they do love to be involved in preparing the food, and when they have time they work with the chefs to prepare a meal.”

Finding the perfect balance between restraint and indulgence…

“I do love a good burger and fries. French fries are my favorite food in the whole world. If I could, I’d eat them at every meal—but I can’t. My whole thing is moderation. If I make good, healthy choices most of the time, then having what I love every once in a while won’t hurt. I have to exercise and eat in a balanced way. If I start ignoring both, I will put on weight. I am fortunate in that I’m five-eleven, so it takes a while for the weight to be seen, but it’ll come! It’s just distributed more. If I didn’t exercise and eat right I would be heavier, and I have been.”

Michelle Obama on her sense of fashion…

“For me fashion is fun, and it’s supposed to help you feel good about yourself. I think that’s what all women should focus on: what makes them happy and feel comfortable and beautiful. I wear what I love. Sometimes people like it, sometimes they don’t. I’m fine with that.”