General Mills Corporate Communications

As part of an ambitious effort that’s designed to reduce obesity – particularly among U.S. kids – by 2015, a coalition that includes General Mills has launched an array of tools including the "Together Counts" website.
 
The website is just part of a nationwide blitz to get families to pledge to eat a meal together at least once a week, and to participate in a family activity weekly. Importantly, they're being asked to keep score on the Together Counts website.

Employees of participating companies and organizations will learn about the effort at work, kids will be introduced to Together Counts at school, and there's plenty of social media around the launch.

Highly interactive, the 'Together Counts' website provides health tips and lets people record their activities - and see how they're stacking up against others. 

Together Counts is part of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation's (HWCF) multiyear effort that brings together more than 150 retailers, food and beverage manufacturers, restaurants, sporting goods and insurance companies, trade associations, and non-governmental and professional sports organizations. 

The HWCF promotes ways to help people achieve a healthy weight through energy balance – matching calories in with calories out. It focuses on three critical areas – the marketplace, the workplace and schools.

Familiar territory
Much of what the HWCF intends is familiar to General Mills.

In the marketplace, companies are asked to improve packaging so consumers can easily grasp how many calories a product contains, and they are also being asked to improve the health profile of their products.

That’s the type of effort that fits right into work that General Mills has done for a long time. For example, we announced our support of the new Nutrition Keys labeling in January.

Many years ago, General Mills ramped up its efforts to better manage food allergens, which was just then emerging as a major issue. By 2007, General Mills was an acknowledged leader in creating packaging labels to help guide those with food allergies.

As well, since General Mills first implemented its Health Metric in 2005, the nutrition profile of more than 500 different General Mills products in the U.S. have been improved in multiple ways. We've also been in front on weight management with our products.

Healthy employees
In the workplace, members of the HWCF are expected to provide calorie information in the cafeteria, offer access to exercise equipment and health programs, and provide tools to track progress.

General Mills has long encouraged healthy lifestyles for employees, and just a few months ago, was honored for its wellness programs. The company also received recognition last summer, and that didn't include additional praise from Sen. Al Franken.

In schools, the HWCF is expanding its successful Healthy Schools Partnership to Kansas City, Kan.; Des Moines, Iowa; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; and to a tribal community in Iowa.

The partnership integrates nutrition and physical education through a curriculum to help children develop lifelong healthly habits.

Once again, General Mills has worked hard in this area for years, with its grant program Champions for Healthy Kids helping to lead the way.