Obesity

The Dannon Company Awards the Ohio FFA Foundation the Fourth Annual Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grant

"Nutrition plays a vital role in the physical, emotional and educational well-being of our youth and Ohio FFA is committed to giving students who are interested in agriculture, the tools they need to live a healthy lifestyle," said Melissa Bell, director, Ohio FFA Foundation. "The Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grant will allow us to provide healthy and delicious eating options, combined with nutrition education for all the students visiting Ohio FFA Camp Muskingum."

Healthy Habits for FFA and Friends will engage more than 12,000 children of Ohio FFA's Camp Muskingum through the implementation of healthier menu options combined with nutrition education for campers. The Ohio FFA Foundation will collaborate with nutrition experts to reinforce the importance of a healthy lifestyle and to increase nutrition education. The program will benefit camp participants throughout Ohio and provide special scholarship funding to youth from Auglaize, Mercer, Darke and Shelby counties.

"I applaud Dannon for its efforts to combat childhood obesity," said Governor Ted Strickland. "Improving nutrition and access to healthy food choices and limiting access to unhealthy foods and beverages is one of the highest goals of Ohio's Obesity Prevention Plan. We greatly appreciate the efforts of private companies to help us reverse this trend that threatens the very futures of Ohio's young people."

"Recent data has shown that obesity in Ohio, and throughout the country, remains a critical issue among adults and children," said Ohio State Senator Keith Faber. "It's imperative that young people learn the importance of proper nutrition and exercise early so that they sustain good health into adulthood. Dannon is helping to make this possible."

The alarming epidemic of obesity among children and adolescents throughout the nation is jeopardizing the future health of our youth. Seventeen percent of Ohio third graders are classified as obese and an additional 18 percent are overweight, according to the most recent available data from the Ohio Department of Health.

"Through the Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grants, we are committed to helping to reverse the obesity epidemic among our youth," said Gayle Binney, Dannon's corporate responsibility manager. "We are pleased to partner with the Ohio FFA for the Healthy Habits for FFA and Friends program, which will provide campers with healthy meals and teach them the importance of good nutrition and exercise."

Today's grant ceremony, held at the Dannon plant in Minster, Ohio was attended by Governor Ted Strickland's regional representative Alan Bannister and Mayor Dennis Kitzmiller, in addition to other public officials, Dannon employees and community members.

Dannon established the Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grants in 2006 to promote childhood nutrition education in each of the four communities where a Dannon facility is located. As part of the grant, Dannon contributes $30,000 each year to four non-profit organizations ($120,000 in total) in Auglaize County, Ohio; Salt Lake County, Utah; Tarrant County, Texas; and Westchester County, N.Y., for programs that nurture healthy eating habits among children. Over the last three years, 4,356 children in Ohio have been reached through Dannon Next Generation Nutrition Grant funded programs. This year, Dannon's parent company, Danone, will celebrate its 90th anniversary and its longtime mission to bring health through nutritious food.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine, Bariatrics, Obesity, Pediatrics, Therapy, Treatment, The Dannon Company Inc.

This article was prepared by Obesity & Diabetes Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Obesity & Diabetes Week via NewsRx.com.