Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation forms online media partnership
The foundation is a coalition of more than 80 food and beverage manufacturers, retailers, NGOs and trade associations with the stated aim of encouraging a balance of energy intake and physical activity in order to reduce obesity – particularly childhood obesity – in the United States.
Food giants PepsiCo and Kellogg’s are among the companies that have joined with the likes of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition Foundation, the American Dietetic Association, Girl Scouts of the USA and others in a three-prong marketplace, workplace and schools attack on America’s obesity problem.
The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF) said that its new media partnership involves the launch of two integrated websites to help parents and teachers with tips about healthy food choices, exercise and eating suggestions for kids.
Executive director of the HWCF Lisa Gable said: “Parents and educators are concerned about the threat of child obesity and interested in practical ideas about how to help kids take fewer calories in and burn more out. This partnership will give parents and educators the tools they need to help combat child obesity.”
Other members of the foundation include Nestlé USA, General Mills, Coca-Cola, Kraft, Mars, ConAgra Foods and the Food Marketing Institute.
When the HWCF launched in October, founding members committed $20m to the program. It will be independently monitored by auditors that will produce public reports about their findings.
HWCF’s collaborative effort with Discovery Education – which already has digital services present in about half the schools in America – is online at www.energybalance101.com; the Meredith partnered website, aimed at parents, is online at www.parents.com/hwcf.
President and CEO of Kellogg Company and chairman of the board of HWCF David Mackay said: “The success of our mission to promote healthier weight depends on bringing stakeholders together to work on common goals.”
It is estimated that about one-third of American children are overweight.
