First Lady Michelle Obama promotes drinking more water

WATERTOWN (WITI) -- First Lady Michelle Obama was in Watertown on Thursday, September 12th, launching a national public health campaign aimed at getting Americans to drink more water.

READ IT: Remarks by First Lady Michelle Obama in Watertown

"It can even reduce reduce headaches and fatigue, all while cleansing and refreshing our bodies.  It's good stuff," Michelle Obama said.

Meanwhile, some public health experts say they have concerns with the way the White House is framing the campaign -- saying the health benefits of increased water consumption are not supported by data.

"I would call it unfortunate, because it's -- instead of being straight forward about the purpose of it -- they're trying to make it sound like people should go around drinking more water and there's just no evidence that really is worth the expense and effort  that people are going to engage in," Dr. Stanley Goldfarb said.

"We have to remember that everything a politician does is political, even if you're a lame duck. If she can promote ideas, and she can promote campaigns, not necessarily political campaigns and she can be successful at it, then she's building up, not just a substantive success, but she's building up a kind of political savings account, then if she wants to take on new issues that are more controversial, she'll have the good will to do it," UW-Milwaukee Professor Mordecai Lee said.

"When we choose water we choose to be at our best," Michelle Obama said.

The first lady says she is hosting a discussion at the White House next week to come up with strategies aimed at making the healthy choice the easy choice.