National Dairy Council Makes $250 Million, Five-Year Commitment to the Health of America's Youth by Teaming Up With the National Football League

CHICAGO, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Football League (NFL) and the National Dairy Council (NDC) announced today that they are teaming up in a new five-year sponsorship aimed at tackling the sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition that have helped spur the current health and nutrition crisis among America's youth.

This initiative combines the expertise of the NDC and the NFL to inspire youth to choose more nutritious foods, increase physical activity and motivate their friends to do the same. The program, launching this fall, will target 40,000 schools nationwide in its first year with additional components being tested in select cities.

Thirty-two percent of American youth are overweight, and 70 percent of overweight kids will become overweight adults.(1) Since up to 50 percent of total daily caloric intake is consumed at school,(2) the school environment is an ideal setting for teaching healthy eating and physical fitness behaviors. This action-oriented initiative will provide youth and schools with tools, resources and incentives to make real and lasting changes.

As part of the program, youth will be motivated to adopt healthier behaviors, such as choosing foods encouraged by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits and vegetables and whole grains) and committing to 60 minutes of physical activity every day. A key component that is being tested in select schools is engaging youth to help make positive changes in schools, such as increasing access to youth- appealing, nutritious foods and physical activity.

To poise the multi-year program for success, the NDC will spend $100 million over five years to support this initiative, including school grants. The NDC will spend an additional $150 million on other efforts aimed at improving child health and wellness.

"We are taking a leadership role to help kids win the battle for good health," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Our players know the importance of staying healthy, and it's important that we help young fans understand the value of exercise."

"Kids are our number one resource as a nation and today they are facing a health crisis. To help make real, sustainable changes, we need to offer solutions to our schools that will create lasting results," said Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management, Inc., which manages the NDC. "The National Dairy Council, working on behalf of America's Dairy Farmers, has a history of being committed to youth and schools. This program will bring all our resources together to make the greatest impact on our country's most valued asset -- our children."

This initiative strengthens the alliance between the NFL and NDC and represents a new way of approaching the health and wellness environment in schools. The NDC will build upon their reputation as nutrition experts in schools, and become a key partner for the NFL on the league-wide health and wellness initiative.

More importantly, this effort will be a core piece of NDC's longstanding programs focused on health and wellness in and outside of schools, and will also leverage child health expertise from organizations such as Action for Healthy Kids.

The commitment will build upon existing NDC and NFL programs including 3-A-Day of Dairy and NFL Play 60: The NFL Movement for an Active Generation. 3-A-Day of Dairy is a program designed to educate Americans on the health benefits of consuming 3 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt a day. NFL Play 60 encourages kids and their families to "get up and play an hour a day."

About the National Dairy Council

The National Dairy Council(R) was founded in 1915 and conducts nutrition education and nutrition research programs through national, state and regional Dairy Council organizations, on behalf of America's dairy farmers. For more information, visit http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org. For nutrition tips and great-tasting recipes, visit http://www.3aday.org.

About NFL PLAY 60

Designed to tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations like the National Dairy Council. Play 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit http://www.NFLRush.com.

(1) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity. 2001.

(2) United States Department of Agriculture, Team Nutrition Call to Action: Healthy School Nutrition Environments.

     For more information:
     National Dairy Council Hotline
     312-240-2880
     ndc@dairyinformation.com

SOURCE National Dairy Council

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