“First lady Michelle Obama plans to warn in remarks Monday that the nation is seeing ‘a groundswell of support’ for curbing childhood obesity, and she is unveiling new ammunition from current and retired military leaders.

“‘Military leaders … tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight,’ the first lady says in the prepared remarks, ‘childhood obesity isn’t just a public health threat, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well.’…

“Among the statements of support for the legislation gathered by the administration:…

“— Mike Huckabee, Arkansas governor, 1996-2007: ‘Reversing the childhood obesity epidemic in a single generation — as first lady Michelle Obama has called upon our nation to do — won’t be easy. … The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes great strides toward eliminating this threat to our children’s health.'”

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“‘But when our kids spend so much of their time each day in school, and when many children get up to half their daily calories from school meals, it’s clear that we as a nation have a responsibility to meet as well,’ Mrs. Obama said. ‘We can’t just leave it up to the parents. I think that parents have a right to expect that their efforts at home won’t be undone each day in the school cafeteria or in the vending machine in the hallway. I think that our parents have a right to expect that their kids will be served fresh, healthy food that meets high nutritional standards.'”