NIH Radio
We Can! Partners with Subway and Laila Ali
Brief Description:
The National Institutes of Health's We Can! program has partnered
with Subway Restaurants to help promote effective ways for parents
and their children to maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity.
Transcript:
Akinso: The National Institutes of Health's We Can! program has partnered with Subway restaurants to reach families throughout the US and beyond with tips and tools to help children and their parents maintain a healthy weight and prevent overweight and obesity. Ms. Karen Donato is from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the coordinator of the program.
Donoto: We can stands for Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and nutrition. It's a national education program that aims to empower parents, families, and communities to help children maintain a healthy weight.
Akinso: Ms. Donato explains that this collaboration may open new doors for We Can!
Donoto: This opportunity that came about with Subway is a great opportunity for us to really get our message to the subway stores to work with them with their Subway Fresh Fit for Kids meals as well as to have Jared and Laila Ali be spokespersons for We Can! Because we know that families really need healthier options and Subway was willing to make those healthier options available to families and provide our message for families and their stores. So it was a great win, win for everybody I think.
Akinso: At the National Play More, Eat Right, and Push Away the Screen Rally in Washington DC, more than 300 elementary and middle school students participated in fun and educational activities. In attendance were many notable figures such as subway spokesman Jared Fogle, and boxing champion Laila Ali. Fogle hopes that the Subway and We Can partnership can help kids stay healthy and active.
Fogle: Fogle: There are three major things that we are asking kids to do, to reduce their screen time on computer and on TV, to make sure they're getting enough of the healthy nutritious foods, and to make sure there getting enough physical activity.
Akinso: Ali is proud to be apart of the initiative. The champ adds that her goal is to help children avoid the physical hardships of obesity.
Ali: You know I feel that it's very important that people like myself come and promote a program such as We Can! Because we have this big problem with childhood obesity in the United States and I can't stand seeing kids walking around with ailments that they shouldn't have as young adults. And I know there's a lot of parents that feel like they just don't know what to do. So they can log on to wecan.org get the information, get involved and there shouldn't be anymore excuses. That's why we're here today, to make sure they have all the information they need to better their life.Akinso: Subway will promote We Can! messages and resources in restaurants and through the SubwayKids.com Website. In addition, in collaboration with Subway and Scholastic Inc. We Can! materials have been adapted into fun tools and activities for teachers, students and parents. For more information about We Can! visit www.wecan.org. This is Wally Akinso at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
About This Audio Report
Date: 5/13/2009
Reporter: Wally Akinso
Sound Bite: Jared Fogle, Ms. Karen Donato, Laila Ali
Topic: We Can!, Subway, Children, physically active, obesity, overweight
Institute(s):
NHLBI
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