BCBSNC Launches Campaign to Make Healthy Living a Household Activity

Chapel Hill, NC (Vocus) June 8, 2007

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is turning its vision for a healthier North Carolina into a statewide, grass roots movement promoting nutrition and exercise. The state's largest health insurer is launching a new campaign, "Eat and Move," that will engage kids, parents and teachers in healthy behaviors.

BCBSNC is the first health insurer in North Carolina to target children and their families with a grassroots movement urging them to take some giant steps toward good health. The campaign will focus its efforts in five distinct environments: classrooms, grocery stores, pediatrician offices, mobile community events and the Internet.

"We know that kids have tremendous influence on their parents' choices," said Bob Greczyn, president and CEO of BCBSNC. "We already know that about a third of the children we cover are overweight or in danger of becoming overweight. Eat and Move is our attempt to engage to become household advocates for nutrition and exercise and encourage adults to take the first steps towards healthier lifestyles."

BCBSNC kicked off the Eat and Move campaign when third grade teachers across North Carolina received information about a free education curriculum for their students available on eatandmove.com, the heart of the grassroots campaign. More than 300 teachers across the state have already downloaded the free series of lesson plans about the human body and nutrition. Third grade students have gotten into the act by entering a health related poster contest to win prizes for themselves and for the school. So far, more than 70 posters have been submitted. They can be viewed and voted on at eatandmove.com/art/art.php. The classroom program will run through the end of the calendar year.

Eatandmove.com offers educational cartoons and games for kids that promote healthy activity and nutrition. Teachers can access the education curriculum, tools and activities for the classroom program. Parents visiting the site with their children can learn more about preventive health programs by linking to a separate BCBSNC Web site.

Other program components will be launched in phases throughout the summer and fall and include:

• A grocery store nutrition scavenger hunt for kids and their parents in Lowes Foods grocery stores statewide
• Educational materials about nutrition and healthy activity placed in pediatrician offices throughout the state
• A mobile event kiosk at major sports venues and community events across the state featuring fun, interactive activities for parents and children to learn more about physical activity and nutrition

Eat and Move is BCBSNC's latest program focused on nutrition and exercise in an attempt to get members engaged in healthy behaviors. BCBSNC has health programs for both adults and children that include member coverage for nutritional counseling and health coaches.

About BCBSNC:
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.5 million members, including approximately 820,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For 74 years, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Access BCBSNC online at http://www.bcbsnc.com

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