Toronto Raptor Mascot joins students from Toronto Catholic District School Board to launch Live It!(TM) Program

Coca-Cola unveils its national program to encourage students to build and
maintain a healthy, active lifestyle

TORONTO, April 10 /CNW/ - Across Canada, Coca-Cola has begun rolling out
Live It!(TM), a national program designed to engage and inspire students
across the country to embrace a healthy, active lifestyle through physical
activity and healthy eating choices both at home and at school. Today Peter
Fonseca, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health Promotion, joined
students at Immaculate Conception School in Toronto to formally launch the
program in their school board.
"The importance of healthy eating and active living among children and
youth can not be overstated," said Peter. "It is well documented that healthy,
active children perform better in school and that healthy lifestyle patterns
established in childhood will likely follow into adulthood. This province is
facing an epidemic of overweight and obesity, and the single best way to fight
back is to educate our youth about the importance of healthy choices."
Originally developed by The Coca-Cola Company in the US in collaboration
with the School Nutrition Association and the National Association for Sport &
Physical Education, the new Live It! program features inspirational figures,
including six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and LeBron James,
who promote healthy eating and physical activity.
The unbranded program includes a two-pronged approach to addressing
health and wellness in our schools:

Step With It(TM) - Focuses on the health benefits of being active-through
any form of physical activity. Students will receive a personal
Stepometer(TM), a student activity guide to log their steps, and activity
cards that suggest fun ways to achieve 10,000 steps daily. Whether
students are running, dancing, stepping or walking, the idea is to make
physical activity fun even for those who aren't involved in athletics

Fit it In(TM)-- Emphasizes nutritious alternatives (fruits, vegetables)
for students when making choices for lunch and all other meal occasions.
Each student will receive activity cards that provide food tips for each
day, helping them choose their meals and snacks according to Canada's
Food Guide. For example, a tip from the milk and grain groups suggests
students try a whole grain cereal with low fat milk for a snack rich in
vitamins, minerals and fiber.

"Proper nutrition and physical activity in our schools are vital
components in teaching young people how to maintain a healthy lifestyle for
the long-term," said Sal Piccininni, Trustee, Toronto Catholic District School
Board. "The Toronto Catholic District School Board is proud to be
collaborating with Coca-Cola to bring this fun and educational program to our
students."
The final element is a series of posters endorsing healthy lifestyles
which feature Lance Armstrong and several other celebrities and inspirational
figures including NBA star Lebron James, WNBA stars Tamika Catchings, Lisa
Leslie and Diana Taurasi, and Piper Denlinger, a San Diego firefighter. In
addition, the program features Lance Armstrong in a short video explaining the
program and its importance for students. This year, Live It! is expected to
reach 20,000 students across Canada.
"There are many factors at play in helping our young people build
balanced lifestyles," said Michael Clark, Area Vice-President Ontario,
Coca-Cola Bottling Company. "Because of our long-time partnerships with
Canadian schools, Coca-Cola wants to play a positive and effective role in
helping to promote healthy, active lifestyles for youth."