One 10-Year-Old's Commitment to Healthy Eating

Aired on: July 8, 2011

When Madeline was two-years-old, her doctor discovered that she had high cholesterol - a wake-up call for her mom Tina. With a family history of heart disease, diabetes and obesity, Tina worried, "My child was kind of going down that same path as our family - it was terrifying. I just didn't want Madeline to suffer because of our family's bad choices; I wanted Madeline to know that she could make better choices and that this didn't have to be her history."

As Madeline grew older, she realized that she could take charge of her life. "I knew it could be different for me," recalls the now 10-year-old girl, "if I just changed how I eat and how I exercise." Madeline hooked up with President Clinton's Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the empowerME movement, where she got ideas on how to change not only her habits, but those of her family as well. Soon she began spreading the message of healthy eating and exercise to her classmates, and even started a community garden. "I think this is just the beginning for Madeline," says her proud mother. "I see in her future just great things."