PRESS RELEASE: Nestle: Nestlé launches education campaign to help US consumers achieve a balanced diet

   (MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires

   April 15, 2013 13:00 ET (17:00 GMT)- - 01 00 PM EDT 04-15-13

-2 of 2- 15 Apr 2013 17:00:00 UTC  PRESS RELEASE: Nestle: Nestlé launches education campaign to help US consumers achieve a balanced diet

Nestlé S.A. / Nestlé launches education campaign to help US consumers achieve a balanced diet . Processed and transmitted by Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Nestlé has launched a new nutrition education campaign in the United States to help consumers achieve a healthy, balanced diet more easily.

The company's 'Balance Your Plate' initiative provides health professionals with resources to use in their work with consumers, with a focus on providing tips and tools for creating nutritious meals by adding fresh ingredients to frozen, prepared foods.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage consumers to enjoy the foods they love while eating more fruit and vegetables.

Easy steps

"Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle requires commitment, but it doesn't need to feel like a chore," said Frank Higgins, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Prepared Foods Company in the US.

"Frozen meals can be just as nutritious as homemade ones. They can also help reduce food waste by providing fixed portions, so people don't prepare more than they need.

"We believe a resource like 'Balance Your Plate' offers Americans what they want: easy steps for managing portions and calorie intake that still include their favourite foods."

Meal plans

According to the National Eating Trends database https://www.npdinsights.com/nutrition-identifying-where-americans-fall-s hort/ from market research company the NPD Group, US consumers only come close to meeting the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm (DGA) on an average of seven days a year.

Nestlé's Balance Your Plate campaign provides a free, downloadable toolkit http://www.nestleusa.com/balance. for health professionals, which includes daily meal plans that meet energy and nutrient goals for a standard 2,000-calorie diet, based on the DGA recommendations.

It also offers model menus consumers can use to create a balanced meal by complementing a portioned frozen meal with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy.

Eating trends

Nestlé USA has partnered with leading market research company Harris Interactive http://www.harrisinteractive.com/ to conduct a nationwide survey of consumers' current consumption patterns and knowledge of the DGA.

The online poll of more than 2,000 adults revealed US consumers only supplement frozen, ready-made meals with other foods such as fruits, vegetables, or whole grains on one in three occasions.

"More than two thirds of people surveyed who ate frozen foods believed they represented a balanced meal," Mr Higgins continued.

"While many frozen meals do feature components from several food groups, the amounts vary and may not always provide full servings.

"A key benefit of the Balance Your Plate programme is that it promotes greater nutrient density with every meal," he added. "Our aim is to show people how easy it can be to include more fresh fruits and vegetables in their daily diet."

Healthy weight

In the United States in 2010 Nestlé announced a comprehensive plan to decrease the sodium content http://www.nestle.com/Media/NewsAndFeatures/Nestle-Prepared-Foods-Compan y-to-decrease-sodium-by-10 of many of its frozen products by another 10% by 2015.

The company is a member of the US Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation http://www.healthyweightcommit.org/ , a coalition of more than 100 private and public organisations that have committed to help reduce obesity by 2015.

Nestlé supports a variety of health and wellness campaigns http://www.nestleusa.com/Creating-Shared-Value/Nutrition.aspx in the country, including a joint programme to combat child obesity http://www.nestle.com/Media/NewsAndFeatures/Gerber-programme-child-obesi ty in the state of Michigan and an initiative in the city of Newark http://www.nestle.com/Media/NewsAndFeatures/Nestle-Newark-2013 that teaches parents of young children the fundamentals of good nutrition.

Worldwide commitment

Worldwide, Nestlé continuously works to optimise the nutritional profile of its products http://www.nestle.com/randd/nutrition by reducing public health sensitive nutrients such as trans-fatty acids and sodium and by including more nutrients such as whole grains and calcium.

As part of its commitment to consumer education, seven years ago Nestlé became the first company to introduce a 'nutritional compass http://www.nestle.com/csv/case-studies/AllCaseStudies/Nestlé-Nutrit ional-Compass ' on its packaging.

The nutritional compass, which is present on 97% of Nestlé products worldwide, provides consumers with relevant, easy-to-understand nutrition information, empowering them to make informed decisions about the food they eat.

Related information:

Nestlé USA www.nestleusa.com

Nestlé and nutrition www.nestle.com/csv/nutrition

Read more stories about Nestlé in the United States:

Gerber launches joint programme to combat child obesity

www.nestle.com/Media/NewsAndFeatures/Gerber-programme-child-obesity

Nestlé steps up efforts to help reduce childhood obesity in the US

www.nestle.com/Media/NewsAndFeatures/Nestle-Newark-2013

Nestlé Nutrition study reveals children are developing unhealthy eating habits earlier

www.nestle.com/Media/NewsAndFeatures/nestle-nutrition-study-reveals-chil dren-are-developing-unhealthy-eating-habits-earlier

Media enquiries

Nestlé USA

Hannah Coan

Tel: +1 818 549 7131

Email: hannah.coan1@us.nestle.com

Nestlé Global

Tel: +41 21 924 2200

Email: mediarelations@nestle.com

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Source: Nestlé S.A. via Thomson Reuters ONE

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   April 15, 2013 13:00 ET (17:00 GMT)- - 01 00 PM EDT 04-15-13