Fat of the Land

There may be some irony in launching online initiatives to tackle obesity in the United States, given how digital culture and time in front of a computer screen certainly burns fewer calories than many other activities. Nonetheless, the White House is publicizing "Making Moves for a Healthier Generation" and the launch of a new website at letsmove.gov.

Before, I have complained about the proliferation of domain names with .gov URLs in the Obama administration, such as MakingHomeAffordable.gov or FoodSafetyWorkingGroup.gov or AStrongMiddleClass.gov, since I worry about divorcing the online content of the virtual state from specific federal agencies that have a commitment to maintaining and updating information access.

Nonetheless, as Anne Burdick points out, the site does point viewers to the USDA's new Food Environment Atlas, which shows how "food deserts" make healthy eating in certain regions and neighborhoods a challenge. It is a point also made in Ian Bogost's game Fatworld, which shows the relationship between class, geography, and weight.