LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - October 29, 2007) - This Halloween parents of preschoolers
should be spooked by recent findings that their child is eating 60 percent
more than their body weight in sugar.
First 5 California today called
attention to these findings as part of a kick-off event announcing its new
partnership with Westfield, one of the world's largest mall operators, to
help curb the growing obesity problem. As a first step, Westfield will hand
out First 5 California temporary tattoos at concierge centers during
trick-or-treat events at participating Westfield shopping centers across
California.
"While there are many causes of
childhood obesity, today we are
raising awareness of a major culprit -- eating too much sugar," said
Kris Perry, executive director
of First 5 California. "Partnering with Westfield will go a long way in
helping First 5 California spread our messages on the importance of good
nutrition and physical activity in a setting that is familiar and family
friendly."
According to a January 2005 study in the Journal of Pediatrics, the average
4- to 5-year-old consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day, which amounts
to approximately 64.6 pounds of added sugar a year. The majority of a
child's added sugar intake comes from fruit drinks, high-fat desserts, soft
drinks and candy.
Currently, one in three children in California is overweight or at risk of
becoming overweight, regardless of age, race or gender. Recent research
suggests infants and children who are overweight at any point are more
likely to remain overweight and even become obese by age 12. If left
unchecked, obesity can lead to serious health problems, including type 2
diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
As a result of the growing obesity problem, the current generation of
children may have shorter life expectancies than their parents.
"We believe so strongly in the importance of this initiative, that
Westfield is providing in-kind marketing and outreach opportunities valued
at more than $1 million to help First 5 California educate families on how
to address this issue," said Katy Dickey, Westfield's executive vice
president of corporate communications. "We know our shopping centers in
California are effective places to market products, but now they also play
a key role in reaching out, educating and informing our customers."
In the coming months, Westfield shopping centers will have First 5
California brochures and signage designed to help parents better understand
ways to reduce the risk of obesity in their children.
First 5 California's collaboration with Westfield is part of the
First 5 F.A.N. Club, a
partnership between First 5 California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's
Get Healthy California! and corporations such as Westfield. The program was
created to educate the public about the importance of good nutrition and
physical activity for children 0 to 5 in order to help curb the obesity
epidemic.
The First 5 F.A.N. Club is the newest addition to First 5 California's
ongoing comprehensive childhood obesity prevention and awareness campaign.
Other campaign efforts include hard-hitting television, radio and billboard
advertisements that have received national media attention; the first-ever
public education campaign targeting childhood obesity in the Asian and
Pacific Islander American (APIA) community; and First 5 California's
interactive "Hands-On Health" mobile exhibit which has traveled to nearly
100 cities across California to raise awareness of the health risks
children face in their first five years.
Early next year, First 5 California will join forces with renowned
Mexican-American Chef Laura Diaz -- known by her fans as Chef LaLa -- to
launch a recipe booklet with tips on nutrition for families with young
children.
About First 5 California
First 5 California, also known as the California Children and Families
Commission, was established after voters passed Proposition 10 in November
1998, adding a 50 cents-per-pack tax on cigarettes to fund education,
health, childcare and other programs for expectant parents and children up
to age 5. For more information please visit
http://www.ccfc.ca.gov.
Editor's Note: List of malls attached.
Westfield
Locations Throughout California
Location City Address
------------------------------ ------------- -------------------------
Westfield Century City Los Angeles 1801 Avenue of the Stars,
Suite 833
Westfield Downtown Plaza Sacramento 547 L Street
Westfield Fashion Square Sherman Oaks 14006 Riverside Drive,
Suite 17
Westfield Fox Hills Culver City 294 Fox Hills Mall
Westfield Galleria at Roseville Roseville 1151 Galleria Blvd., Suite
254
Westfield Horton Plaza San Diego 324 Horton Plaza
Westfield MainPlace Santa Ana 2800 N. Main Street, Suite
775
Westfield Mission Valley San Diego 1640 Camino del Rio North,
#351
Westfield North County Escondido 272 E. Via Rancho Parkway
Westfield Oakridge San Jose 925 Blossom Hill Road,
Suite 2005
Westfield Palm Desert Palm Desert 72-840 Highway 111
Westfield Parkway El Cajon 415 Parkway Plaza
Westfield Plaza Bonita National City 3030 Plaza Bonita Rd.,
#2075
Westfield Plaza Camino Real Carlsbad 2525 El Camino Real, #100
Westfield Promenade Woodland Hills 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Westfield San Francisco Centre San Francisco 865 Market St., Box A
Westfield Santa Anita Arcadia 400 South Baldwin Ave.,
Suite 231
Westfield Solano Fairfield 1350 Travis Blvd.
Westfield Topanga Canoga Park 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd.,
Suite 1M
Westfield UTC San Diego 4545 La Jolla Village
Drive, Suite E-25
Westfield Valencia Town Center Valencia 24201 West Valencia Blvd.,
Suite 150
Westfield Valley Fair Santa Clara 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd.,
Suite 2178
Westfield West Covina West Covina 112 Plaza Drive
Contact Information: CONTACT:
Elisa Bupara
(916) 263-1044
