Helping Millions of Kids with Their Balancing Act: Physical Activity & Smart Eating

Public/Private Partnership Gets the Word Out to Schools about New Dietary Recommendations

Purchase, N.Y. (April 19, 2005) PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX—With the completion of the new Food Guidance System, the USDA will now begin its efforts to educate Americans on the latest Dietary Guidelines recommendations. The Guidelines highlight energy balance—the balance between what we eat and the calories we burn through physical activity—as a key concept in maintaining health. PepsiCo, in partnership with Discovery Education and America On the Move™, has already started teaching kids about the importance of this balance.

"Learning how to balance what we choose to eat and how we move is critical in establishing healthy lifestyles," said Ellen Taaffe, vice president of Health and Wellness Marketing at PepsiCo. "We’ve been helping kids to learn this important skill through Balance First™, which is part of our overall commitment to educate consumers about energy balance."

Balance First, a standards-based multimedia learning kit that teaches kids about energy balance, is being distributed free to all 15,000 middle schools in the U.S. Last year, Balance First was distributed to elementary schools in the U.S., reaching about 3 million kids. The elementary program was developed in conjunction with America On the Move.

"This idea of energy balance is so significant that it is part of the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines," said James Hill, PhD, professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and co-founder of America On the Move. "The Balance First program empowers kids so they can make informed decisions about eating and physical activity."

The Balance First™ kit that middle school teachers will be receiving contains a 16-page Teacher’s Guide with five standards-based lesson plans that focus on physical activity and food choices, a classroom poster, 50 student magazines and the Discovery School Health CD-ROM from Discovery Education. Teachers can also download the lesson plans and other materials at Discovery Education’s DiscoverySchool.com Web site (www.discoveryschool.com/balancefirst).

"Discovery Education is committed to providing teachers the tools they need to engage and inform students. We are delighted to partner with PepsiCo and America On the Move™ to deliver Balance First to America’s middle schools. We hope teachers will embrace the program as they introduce the energy balance message to their students," said Paul Thomas, Vice President, Discovery Education.

Balance First is one of PepsiCo initiatives in the health and wellness arena. In 2004, PepsiCo launched the Smart Spot™ symbol, the first-of-its-kind designation that makes it easier for consumers to identify PepsiCo products that contribute to healthier lifestyles. Products that contain the Smart Spot symbol meet established nutrition criteria based on authoritative statements from the FDA and the National Academy of Sciences. The Smart Spot symbol appears on more than 100 PepsiCo products including Tropicana Pure Premium, Aquafina, Gatorade thirst quencher, Baked! Lay’s and Quaker Oatmeal, among many others.

In addition to providing an increasing number of product choices that contribute to a healthier lifestyle, PepsiCo also supports programs that help consumers with energy balance. PepsiCo is the national presenting sponsor of America On the Move™, a program developed at the University of Colorado. This national initiative is committed to helping Americans make small changes that add up to big differences. For instance, by walking an extra 2,000 steps and consuming 100 fewer calories a day, many Americans may be able to stop gaining weight.

PepsiCo is one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies with 2004 annual revenues of $29 billion. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. Its portfolio includes 16 brands that each generates $1 billion or more in annual retail sales.

Discovery Education is a division of Discovery Communications, Inc., the leading global real-world media and entertainment company. It produces and distributes high-quality digital video content in easy-to-use formats, in all core-curricular subject areas. Discovery Education is committed to creating scientifically proven, standards-based video resources for teachers, students, and parents that make a positive impact on student learning. Through strategic partnerships with over 25 public television stations across the country, its public service initiatives, products, and joint business ventures, Discovery Education helps educators around the world engage students in the joy of learning by allowing them to explore the world and satisfy their natural curiosity.

America On the Move is a national program dedicated to helping individuals, families and communities across our nation make positive changes to health and quality of life. AOM promotes healthful eating and active living through its Affiliate network of states, communities, employer groups, schools and other organizations.

SOURCE PepsiCo, Inc.