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Health-Minded Corporations
Help Healthy Kids
By Beth Cline
Take a moment to think about the products the
typical child sees in a day. Cereal and orange juice
on the breakfast table, billboards advertising the
latest toy on the way to school, soda machines in
the hallways, ads for snack foods on TV in the
afternoon, or pop-ups for magazines on the Internet.
At the dinnertime, they are bombarded by everything
from fast-food logos and salad dressing branding to
frozen vegetable packaging. Even during free time,
they see logos on water bottles and sports drinks,
banners surrounding the gym or ball field and on
tickets for professional sporting and entertainment
events.
With the help of successful marketing campaigns,
corporations influence children in on-going,
calculated ways, with or without a parent’s consent.
Now, in response to the growing childhood obesity
epidemic, some corporations have decided to focus
their marketing power for a greater good. They are
creating more health conscious products and
combining their efforts with community programs and
resources - a great recipe for healthier children
and families.
Some of the biggest household names are creating
healthier products for children. Companies, ranging
from fast food giant McDonald’s and
super-manufacturer Campbell’s to soft drink leaders
like Coca-Cola, are hoping to not only provide
healthier options for consumers, but to educate
children and adults on making better food and
fitness choices. McDonald’s, for example, began
unveiling a new line of good-for-you products in
2003. Since then, the company has been dedicated to
overhauling the McDonald’s image as a brand that
offers not only French fries and milkshakes, but
more health conscious items like fresh fruit, salads
and low fat milk jugs.
“As a global leader, McDonald’s is committed to
encouraging our customers to lead balanced, active
lifestyles by making healthy food choices and
promoting physical activity,” said Robert Palmer,
McDonald’s Regional Marketing Director,
Baltimore-Washington Region. “We are constantly
updating our menu to provide a variety of delicious
and healthy menu options to consumers of all ages.
For more than 20 years, McDonald’s has also
sponsored programs that foster and teach the
benefits of nutrition literacy, energy balance, and
physical fitness, such as the Marine Corps Marathon
Healthy Kids Fun Run.”
Manufacturer Campbell’s, best known for its soup,
but owner of many other labels such as Pepperidge
Farm, Prego and V8, created nutrition lesson plans
for teachers and provides information for kids about
exercise and fitness, endorsed by DC United’s
Freddie Adu. In the Labels for Education program,
schools collect Campbell’s packaging labels from
students, families and the community. Schools then
return the labels to Campbell’s, who then donates
supplies and materials including those for physical
education such as jump ropes, ab balls, soccer and
volleyballs.
The Coca Cola Company proudly stresses physical
activity and a variety of food and beverages. They
introduced Diet Coke into widespread consumption and
have recently added Coca-Cola Zero as another way
for soda drinkers to get their fix. They regularly
support athletic events, such as Special Olympics,
promoting healthy, active living into the community.
PepsiCo created the Smart Spot Program, a green and
white label on products designated as ‘good for you’
in order to help kids and parents make choices that
contribute to a healthier lifestyle. These foods
include low sugar cereals and oatmeal, lower calorie
sodas and juices, and trans-fat free snacks. PepsiCo
also includes an extensive section on their website
featuring interactive materials for parents and kids
on creating healthy habits.
With the help of corporations worldwide, parents can
use these new products and resources to help educate
their children, and create a healthy home
environment. Here are some tips to get started:
• Take children on the next grocery store trip.
Encourage them look at nutrition labels for calories
and sugar.
• Instead of sugary sodas in the refrigerator,
switch to fruit juices and bottled waters like those
made by Coca Cola.
• Fast food should be a special treat, not a regular
meal. Make it healthier by swapping fries for apple
dippers in a McDonald’s Happy Meal.
• As a reward for reaching an exercise goal, take
children to a sporting event to take exercise cues
from athletes on a healthy, active lifestyle. Or
sign children up for events like the MCM Healthy
Kids Fun Run, supported by corporate sponsors, like
Sodexho and The Washington Post, to enjoy fitness
with other children.
The recent movement of corporate responsibility to
the health and fitness of children is reaching
further than just the food and drink industry.
Recently, Time Warner’s popular station, the Cartoon
Network announced a new promotional campaign and PSA
series called GET ANIMATED. Using celebrity and
athlete endorsements, they seek to stress three core
values to children: getting active in exercise and
sports, getting healthy by practicing smart food
habits and getting involved in the community.
Increasingly, the colorful clamor of corporate
marketing has become more palatable to parents as a
means to create healthier kids.
Articles in the Healthy Kids Series are presented by
the Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun Run to be
held on Saturday, October 28, 2006. The one-mile run
welcomes children ages 6-13. Registration is now
open at
www.marinemarathon.com . Beth Cline is the
Public Relations Coordinator for the Marine Corps
Marathon. No federal or Marine Corps endorsement
implied.
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