Better Homes and Gardens: Michelle Obama Is First Public Figure on Cover Since 1963

Michelle Obama appears on the August cover of Better Homes and Gardens, which hits stands this week -- making her the magazine's first public figure to be featured on a  cover since 1963. (Actor Cliff Robertson was the last, the Washington Post reports.)

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Obama wears a sundress and bright yellow cardigan, and poses in a picnic table on the White House grounds with veggies from her garden. She extols the importance of healthy eating, which has been one of her biggest causes since her husband, Barack, took office. She also offers advice to get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.

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“Last year, research with our readers showed this is  a really high priority moms have when it comes to healthy eating,” says Gayle Butler, the editor in chief  of Better Homes and Gardens, which is the third-largest magazine in paid circulation and the largest women's magazine.

Obama -- who has also posed on the cover of Vogue and Ebony -- is "thrilled to share the story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Let’s Move! with the millions of Americans who read Better Homes and Gardens," says her spokesperson Kristina Schake.

As the Post notes, the magazine is based in Iowa, an important campaign state -- and Michelle tracks 20 points ahead of her husband in the polls.