Producers Of Sesame Street Appoint Australian Health Experts

< BACK TO FOOD BEVERAGE starstarstarstarstar   Culture - Food Beverage Press Release
14th May 2009, 01:33pm - Views: 683





Culture Food Beverage Sesame Workshop 1 image


                        



MEDIA INFORMATION 








PRODUCERS OF SESAME STREET TEAM UP WITH 

HEALTH & NUTRITION EXPERTS FROM AUSTRALIA


(Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, May 14, 2009) In response to the growing concern amongst consumers about

junk food marketing to children, Sesame Workshop, the producers behind Sesame Street, has retained

two health and nutrition advisors for its Healthy Habits for Life (HHFL) program, created to address the

crisis of childhood obesity.  


Julie Bines, MBBS, FRACP, MD., and Kay Laraine Gibbons, BAppSci (Diet), APD, both from Melbourne’s

Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne, will now work with the nonprofit

organization to ensure that food products under the HHFL umbrella meets strict nutritional guidelines

set out by the Australian Food Standards Australia New Zealand, before hitting the shelves.  


Professor Bines and Ms Gibbons will analyze the ingredients and nutritional information for potential

food products that may be licensed through the Sesame Street brand, and determine whether or not

particular foods meet the organization’s nutrition criteria. Their feedback and guidance will help

ensure that the Sesame Street brand and characters are utilized only to promote nutritious foods to

Australian children and families. They will also assist Sesame Workshop to help children develop

healthy eating habits.


“The HHFL program was introduced to help young children and their caregivers establish an early

foundation of healthy habits that can last a lifetime,” says Dr. Charlotte Cole, Vice President of

Education and Research, Sesame Workshop. “Using beloved characters from Sesame Street is a great

way for children to learn about these healthy habits, however we also have a responsibility to ensure

that products carrying the HHFL branding is, in fact, nutritious and healthy.” 


“We are proud to work with two such prestigious advisors, who have dedicated their careers to

improving children’s health, and positively shaping the lives of Australia’s young children.  Together we

can harness the power and reach of Sesame Street to make overall health and well-being a crucial part

of the development of young children,” she adds.

-more-

Culture Food Beverage Sesame Workshop 3 image




Through television, outreach and licensed products, Healthy Habits for Life sets the benchmark in

educational content that will guide pre-schoolers and their caregivers through lessons about healthy

eating, physical activity, hygiene, and proper rest.


Professor Bines is Head of Clinical Nutrition, Paediatric Gastroenterologist, at the Royal Children’s

Hospital and is the Victor and Loti Smorgon Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne.  


Ms Kay Gibbons, an Accredited Practising Dietician, serves as Manager of Nutrition and Food Services

at the Royal Children’s Hospital.  She is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer for the School of Medicine at

Monash University, and a Fellow of the Dietitians Association of Australia.  She has a particular interest

in issues involving eating and behaviour, including childhood obesity and eating disorders, and the role

of children’s early learning about eating.  Ms Gibbons has presented at numerous children’s health

conferences and serves as an advisory to many children’s health organizations.


In Australia, the HHFL program continues to expand across food and grocery categories.


About Healthy Habits for Life

Healthy Habits for Life is Sesame Workshop’s multi-year, content-driven initiative to help young children and

their caregivers establish an early foundation of healthy habits that can last a lifetime.  We will harness the

power and reach of Sesame Street to make overall health and well-being crucial to the development of young

children in much the same way it has done with learning to read and write.


About Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that changed television forever with the legendary

Sesame Street.

As the single largest informal educator of young children, local Sesame Street programs

produced in countries as diverse as South Africa, Bangladesh and India are making a difference in over 120

nations.  Using proprietary research to create engaging and enriching content, Sesame Workshop produces

programs such as Dragon Tales and Pinky Dinky Doo.  In addition, multimedia needs-driven initiatives provide

families tools for addressing such issues as children’s health, military deployment and emergency preparedness.  

As a nonprofit, product proceeds and philanthropic donations support Sesame Workshop’s educational research



-ends-

For further information, or high res images, please contact:

Tamara Jenkins

Esencia Communications

Phone: (03) 9822 7557

tamara@esenciacommunications.com.au







news articles logo NEWS ARTICLES
Contact News Articles |Remove this article