Childhood Obesity Prevention
Campaign Sponsor:U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services and NIH’s We Can!® program
Advertising Agencies:Ogilvy & Mather
BACKGROUND:
Today, nearly 1 in 3 children in America are overweight or obese. Overweight youth are at greater risk for numerous health consequences, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. In order to reverse the trend of childhood obesity in this country, it is crucial that parents have the information they need to help them teach children the importance of healthy eating and being physically active.
CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION:
The Obesity Prevention in Children Campaign, created by the U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services (HHS), NIH’s We Can!(Ways toEnhanceChildren's Activity &Nutrition)® program and the Ad Council, is focused on helping parents and caregivers help children maintain a healthy weight by highlighting the benefits of physical activity and healthy eating habits in a fun and engaging way for the whole family.
Through a multimedia public service advertising campaign, American families everywhere are encouraged to learn tips on how to stay healthy by making family time healthy time. The new “I Can, You Can, We Can” PSAs empower parents and caregivers to find creative ways to challenge and engagetheir kids to make healthy choices.
ThePSAs directaudiences to “search We Can! online” to find doable tips and activities for ways parents and kids can get healthy together. The We Can! website can be found at
TARGET AUDIENCE:
Parents and caregivers
DID YOU KNOW:
Nearly 1 in 3 children in America are overweight or obese.
12.5 million U.S. children and adolescents were obese in 2009-2010.[1]
A CDC report found that the health cost of obesity in the United States is as high as $147 billion annually.[2]
FOR ADDITIONAL CAMPAIGN INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Tait Sye
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs/ Public Health
U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services
Phone: (202) 205-1841
OR
Hannah Blatt
Campaign Manager
The Advertising Council, Inc.
815 Second Ave. 9th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 984-1933
Fax: (212) 922-1676
TO ORDER ADDITIONAL CAMPAIGN MATERIALS, PLEASE CONTACT:
CI-Group
10 Salem Park
PO Box: 461
Whitehouse, NH 08888
Phone:(800) 933-PSAS (7727)
[1] Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM.Prevalence of obesity in the United States,2009-2010. NCHS data brief, no 82.Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2012
[2] Finkelstein EA, Fiebelkorn IC,Wang G. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity:how much, and who’s paying? Health Aff (Millwood). 2003;22:w3-219–26.