Children visiting select Choithrams outlets in Dubai and Bahrain between November 23rd and December 3rd will be receiving one free fruit or vegetable, offered through the “Adopt a Fruit, Adopt a Vegetable” initiative, launched earlier this year by United for Healthier Kids – a program developed by Nestlé to create partnerships that help nurture healthier generations.
“The initiative was first launched in April and was a huge success, encouraging us to expand it into more outlets, especially since evidence* from our various research indicates that children who try new fruits and vegetables are likely to consume more of them,” said Patricia El Chammas, United for Healthier Kids Manager at Nestlé Middle East. “Our purpose at Nestlé is to enhance the quality of life and contribute to a healthier future, which we know can best be done through collaborations.”
“Adopt a Fruit, Adopt a Vegetable is a great initiative launched by Nestlé which we are proud to support,” said L.T Pagarani, Chairman, Choithrams. “We are delighted to inculcate a healthy eating lifestyle among children in a fun and interactive way through this activity.”
The initiative, which also includes year-round displays and dissemination of information on the benefits of fruits and vegetables, is a coming together of Nestlé Middle East with select supermarket outlets to advocate for the ‘More Fruits & Vegetables’ behavior called for by United for Healthier Kids; which capitalizes on the generosity of Arab culture by promoting MORE Movement, MORE Water, MORE Fruits & Vegetables, and MORE Managed Portions – behaviors scientifically proven* to positively impact the quality of life, especially if adopted at an early age.
The More Fruits and Vegetables call will be brought to life through various characters created out of fruits and vegetables, with names and key benefits of each presented in a fun and appealing manner.
As part of a global commitment to leadership in child nutrition, Nestlé Middle East launched United for Healthier Kids in 2015 in partnership with various public and private sector entities, in the aim of helping parents establish healthier eating, drinking and lifestyle habits for children aged 4 to 12.
United for Healthier Kids offers game-changing education and fun ideas to inspire action and influence behavior, using messaging interventions to gently nudge parents and their kids towards actions scientifically proven* to improve their health.
“We invite everybody to unite for healthier kids by joining the movement at www.U4HK-me.com, and downloading the Tummyfish App which encourages children to drink More Water,” concluded El Chammas.
For more information, please contact:
Lynn Al Khatib
Media Relations Manager, Nestlé Middle East
[email protected]
About United for Healthier Kids:
United for Healthier Kids (U4HK) is a pioneering, comprehensive and science-based program developed by Nestlé and built on partnerships among various entities with the aim of nurturing healthier generations.
Through nutritional science and a deep understanding of the region’s parents and kids, Nestlé identified four behaviors that need to be brought into the everyday routines of children to ensure a healthier lifestyle: MORE Movement, MORE Water, MORE Fruits & Vegetables, and MORE Managed Portions.
To help parents encourage their kids to drink MORE Water, United for Healthier Kids created the Tummyfish storybook and mobile app to help kids drink more water and less unhealthy drinks.
United for Healthier Kids invites everybody to unite for healthier kids by becoming a member of the movement and signing up at www.U4HK-me.com. The website provides a wealth of tips and fun ideas to make adopting a healthy lifestyle enjoyable and easy for parents and kids. People can also join the movement on Facebook.comU4HKme, or Instagram: @U4HKme.
More on United for Healthier Kids focus areas:
• More Movement: Being active is not only important for health, but for children to develop their motor skills, decision-making, attention and teamwork abilities. Regular physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle where any amount or type of exercise is better than none.
• More Water: Water is best for calorie-free hydration and controlling the body’s temperature – and is especially important for children who are physically active or live in hot climates. Parents should encourage children to drink adequate amounts of water.
• More Fruits & Vegetables: Children should be encouraged to have a varied, nutrient-rich diet based on the different food groups. The United for Healthier Kids program emphasizes variety such as offering vegetables and fruits as snacks, in side dishes and incorporated into main meals.
• More Managed Portions: Helping children select the right amount of food, in the correct proportions, instills healthier eating habits. United for Healthier Kids communicates age-appropriate portions to parents
* References:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/