America’s top food and beverage companies have exceeded their goal of reducing 1.5 trillion calories in the U.S. marketplace, says the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF)
This announcement comes three years after a 2010 commitment by the HWCF, and its 16 food and beverage corporate partners, to the First Lady’s Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) to reduce calories by 1.5 trillion by 2015.
“Our industry has an important role to play in helping people lead healthy lives and our actions are having a positive impact,” said Indra Nooyi, HWCF Chair, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo.
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A progress report showcases that the HWCF calorie reduction in the marketplace since its baseline year of 2007 was achieved by giving new choices and continued great taste for the consumer.
“We continue to thank the First Lady for her leadership in calling for national action to end childhood obesity,” said Lisa Gable, president of the HWCF. “In 2010 we pledged that we would reduce calories in the marketplace and we have delivered on that promise.”
RWJF, the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, is supporting a rigorous, independent evaluation to determine whether HWCF has met its calorie-reduction goal. That evaluation will be released in the fall. Follow-up studies supported by RWJF also will evaluate subsequent effects on children's diets.
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The report from the HWCF offers further indication that consumer demand is shifting toward healthier choices, said Larry Soler, president and CEO of the PHA. “HWCF was one of the first organizations to sign on with PHA, which is committed to working with the private sector to help end the childhood obesity crisis within a generation.”
HWCF participating companies include:
Bumble Bee Foods, LLC
Campbell Soup Co.
ConAgra Foods
General Mills, Inc.
Kellogg Co.
Kraft Foods, Inc.
Mars, Inc.
McCormick & Company, Inc.
Nestlé USA
PepsiCo
Post Foods/Ralston Foods, LLC
Sara Lee Corp.
The Coca-Cola Co.
The Hershey Co.
The J.M. Smucker Co.
Unilever
