Got milk? 'Think About Your Drink' campaign launch! January 8, 2007

New Study Suggests Healthier Beverage Choices May Be Key Strategy in Helping Fight Obesity

Health Experts Urge New Yorkers to Think About Your Drink

WHAT: With nearly 1 million New Yorkers overweight or obese, one of the keys to a healthier weight could be rethinking what you drink each day.

A new comprehensive analysis of U.S. beverage consumption called What America Drinks suggests that making healthier beverage choices could play a key role in the battle against widening waistlines. For example, the new report found that teenagers and adults drank two to three times more sweetened beverages as they did milk, which some studies have identified as a trend associated with an increased risk of obesity.

To call attention to the importance of taking a closer look at what’s filling our glasses and cups, health professional organizations are urging New Yorkers to Think About Their Drink.

At the event, members of national and local health organizations will unveil the key findings from the What America Drinks report and a new education campaign called Think About Your Drink. New Yorkers can also learn how to make better beverage choices by getting a free personalized beverage analysis.

WHY: When dieting, 98 percent of women in New York focus on what they eat, but the new What America Drinks report suggests that beverage choice is related to weight and overall nutrient intake.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
-Registered dietitian Brenda Beltram to share New York obesity statistics and new findings from What America Drinks
-On-site interviews with NY Dietetic Association President Elect Kerri Gans, R.D. and Sharlene Wong of the School Nutrition Association to explain why this is important for residents of New York
-Visuals including giant glass illustrating what women are currently drinking
-Women learning how to make better beverage choices
-National unveiling of new Think About Your Drink TV and print ads starring Law & Order SVU star Mariska Hargitay

WHEN: Monday, Jan. 8, 2007, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: Chelsea Piers, Sports Center Pier 60; 23rd Street and the Hudson River; New York, NY

CONTACT:
Laura Dowling, ldowling@webershandwick.com, (312)988-2340 / Cell (314)775-1113

Official Website: http://www.thinkaboutyourdrink.com/