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Obama's exclusive Youtube interview (around 30-minute mark):



I got caught up watching this entire video. And I applaud President Obama for being "hip" enough to do something like this - it's a great way to engage the younger generation into political discussion. And I strongly recommend this video to others.

One of his answers, however, irked me. The question asked why it is cheaper to buy Fruit Loops than fruit. The president talked about the importance of the First Lady's initiative to fight obesity in America, how Wal-Mart is now selling fruits and vegetables, and how such action will make fruits and vegetables more accessible to America.

But that's a disappointingly vague and speaking-points driven answer from the President of the United States on one of the most troubling social issues of our times. The First Lady's initiative is wonderful, but isn't enough. What America needs is something closer to what Mark Bittman suggests:

End government subsidies to processed food. We grow more corn for livestock and cars than for humans, and it’s subsidized by more than $3 billion annually; most of it is processed beyond recognition. The story is similar for other crops, including soy: 98 percent of soybean meal becomes livestock feed, while most soybean oil is used in processed foods. Meanwhile, the marketers of the junk food made from these crops receive tax write-offs for the costs of promoting their wares. Total agricultural subsidies in 2009 were around $16 billion, which would pay for a great many of the ideas that follow.

As long as processed foods remain cheaper to put on the shelves than fruit and vegetables, it will NOT fix America's dependency on processed foods. The First Lady is using her position and influence to impact change. It's time for the President and Congress to follow her lead.