Diet Coke and Heidi Klum are joining forces once again. For the third consecutive year Diet Coke is partnering with Klum and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in a national heart health awareness campaign called The Heart Truth. To bring heart health into the spotlight during February, American Heart Month, Diet Coke will distribute special limited-edition packaging in support of the campaign. For her part, Klum will return to the runway for the Diet Coke sponsored Red Dress Collection Fashion Show on February 11, the popular kick-off to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.

“The Heart Truth movement is near and dear to my heart, and I’m honored once again to join Diet Coke as their ambassador for the program,” said Klum. “This year I want to inspire even more women and their families to make choices that promote stronger, happier and healthier hearts.”

Diet Coke packaging will have a new look in February. The limited-edition packaging will graphically depict one person’s journey from heart health awareness to empowerment to advocacy. The Heart Truth’s Red Dress logo will also appear on more than 6 billion packages of Diet Coke throughout the year.

“The Heart Truth campaign celebrates healthy lifestyle choices, which have become increasingly important to Diet Coke consumers. In the third year of our partnership with the NHLBI, we are proud that we can continue to play an important role in this educational conversation,” said William White, Brand Director, Diet Coke North America. “One of the tips from NHLBI is to maintain a healthy weight. Incorporating regular physical activity into your routine is an essential approach to maintaining a healthy, balanced and active lifestyle. And with no calories and great taste, Diet Coke is not only an excellent choice for managing calorie intake, it also provides refreshment and hydration that helps our consumers be their best throughout the day.”

The Heart Truth campaign has helped raise awareness that heart disease is the #1 killer among women to nearly 70 percent compared with 34 percent in 2000 before the campaign was first introduced.

General Mills announced today a public commitment to reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children to single-digit grams of sugar per serving. The initiative is in place and progress has been made, the company said, “with further reductions to continue until single-digit levels are reached on all cereals advertised to children.”

“Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only five percent of the sugar in children’s diets,” said Jeff Harmening, President of General Mills’ Big G cereal division. “Still, we know that some consumers would prefer to see cereals that are even lower in sugar, especially children’s cereals. General Mills has responded – and we are committing to reduce sugar levels even more.”

General Mills has been reducing sugar in cereals advertised to children, while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain. “We have already made meaningful changes across our cereal portfolio,” noted Harmening, “and we have reached and exceeded our original goals. So today we are strengthening our goal – by publicly committing to further reduce to single-digit levels of sugar per serving every cereal advertised to children under twelve.”

The company’s commitment is among the most aggressive goals advanced in the food industry. The initiative will extend globally to 130 countries, with Cereal Partners Worldwide – the global cereal joint venture in which General Mills is a partner – adopting similar commitments.

General Mills has led numerous health and nutrition initiatives in cereal. The company was a pioneer in fortifying cereals with vitamins and minerals, and continued its leadership by fortifying its entire line of children’s cereals with calcium and vitamin D in 2008.

General Mills’ 2005 whole grain initiative has been called one of the biggest health initiatives in the food industry. The company committed to ensuring that every Big G cereal would help deliver the benefits of whole grain. As a result, every Big G cereal now provides at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving, with many cereals providing 16 grams of whole grain or more.

Announcing that initiative, General Mills said it would deliver 26 million servings of whole grain every day across America. Today, General Mills’ Big G cereals are delivering 35 million servings of whole grain daily across America. Other companies in the food industry followed with initiatives of their own, and America’s whole grain intake has increased as a result. Ready-to-eat cereal is now the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet – and whole grain is the number one ingredient in every cereal that General Mills advertises to children.

“Ready-to-eat cereal really is one of the best breakfast choices you could make,” said Susan Crockett, Ph. D, vice president, Health and Nutrition, and director of the Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition at General Mills. “More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights – and lower Body Mass Index measures (BMIs). It’s true of men. It’s true of women. It’s true of kids. And that includes people who eat presweetened cereals.”

Ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters. Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients, such as vitamins A, B6, iron, niacin and zinc, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets.

“Our first target was to reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children to 12 grams of sugar or less,” explained Harmening. “Many were already lower, but some were not. So we put in place a plan to reduce sugar levels in a series of steps in those cereals and others, while continuing to deliver great taste. As a result, we have already reduced sugar in many cereals, some by as much as 20 percent, and by spring General Mills cereals advertised to children will all have 11 grams of sugar per serving or less.

“Today, we are strengthening our goal,” Harmening added. “We are committing to reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children under 12 to single-digit grams of sugar per serving.”

To ensure the cereals continue to taste great, reductions will continue in a series of smaller steps. “Maintaining great taste while continuing to reduce sugar is a challenge,” noted Harmening. “It requires technology, time and investment. But we’re doing it. We are committed to reaching single-digit levels.”

“General Mills strives to be the health leader in every category in which we compete,” said Harmening, “Big G is going to continue to lead in cereal as well.”

The kids may be sleeping soundly this season with “visions of sugar plums in their heads,” but almost half of the nation’s moms and dads (44%) say they are worried about being able to afford the holidays this year, with one in six Americans (17%) expecting to lose sleep due to holiday-induced stress.

The findings are part of a national year-end survey – the SleepBetter.org Holiday Slumber Index, which measures the impact of the holidays on Americans’ sleep patterns. According to the survey, parents are most susceptible to sleep changes. Two in three (66%) of mothers and fathers, for example, say they will get six or fewer hours of sleep the night before gift-giving. And while 11% of households without kids say that holiday stressors cause them to lose sleep, more than twice as many parents (27%) indicate that this is the case.

“There are many ways that the holidays throw us off our sleep patterns,” said Dan Schecter, vice president of consumer products at Carpenter Co., and creator of SleepBetter.org. “Not only do the anxieties and excitement of the season have an impact on many people’s ability to fall asleep, but added obligations and the added busyness of this time of year mean trying to fit more into our days. And if you’re a parent, there often are not enough hours in the day. Ask most moms and dads what they want for the holidays, and it’s a good bet they have ‘a good night’s sleep’ at the top of their list.”

In fact, when asked what they look forward to most over the holidays, 6% of survey respondents said “sleep and rest,” which nearly tied with “giving/receiving gifts” (7%). (“Being with family” was the most popular response at 77%.) Two in five Americans (43%) say they do get a chance to sleep in over the holidays, while 20% say they typically find time to nap.

Among other findings in the SleepBetter.org Holiday Slumber Index:

• One in five Americans (22%) say they sleep better over the holidays, with almost three times as many women (13%) than men (5%) indicating that they sleep “worse.”
• About half of all respondents (49%) said they get six or fewer hours of sleep the night before gift-giving, but a total of 61% of Midwesterners report getting between seven and 10 hours of sleep on the eve of present exchanges.
• Hispanics are more worried about affording the holidays this year – 46% vs. 35% for the general population.
• While 43% of all respondents say they get to sleep in over the holidays, only 28% of those 55 and older do.

You wouldn’t send your children to school with a lunchbox full of candy bars, but you might be packing almost as much sugar when you send them off with some popular lunchtime classics. Considering most children brush their teeth in the morning and before bed, the sugar they put in their mouths at lunchtime could stay there for a while, and that worries some dentists.

“When you start adding up the sugars found in some common lunchbox items, you might be shocked,” said George Koumaras, DDS, dental director for Delta Dental of Virginia. “Simple changes can lower the sugar count, which is better for children’s oral health and, ultimately, better for their bodies.”

Take the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Add a box of raisins, a small container of applesauce and a single-serve carton of chocolate milk. While it sounds healthy, the sugar total is a whopping 98 grams. An average candy bar contains about 25 grams of sugar.

Without drastic changes, give this same lunch a sugar makeover:

• Choose natural peanut butter (no added sugar) and low or no sugar added jelly.
• Replace white bread with whole wheat, and regular applesauce with natural applesauce.
• Swap raisins for mini carrots–raisins’ stickiness can hold sugars against teeth for prolonged periods.
• Trade chocolate milk for white milk.

The new total? A more tooth-tolerable 31 grams of sugar.

Alternatives to lunchbox standards:

• A tube of yogurt boosts calcium with only 10 grams of sugar.
• String cheese offers calcium and zero grams of sugar.
• Fruit roll-up snacks have 7 grams of sugar versus fruit snacks in a pouch with 14 grams.
• Three vanilla wafer cookies have 4 grams of sugar versus three chocolate, crème-filled cookies with 13 grams.

What are the guidelines for preteen immunizations? Aetna’s internal research shows that parents who receive reminder notices and follow up phone calls from their health plan are statistically more likely to have their teens vaccinated compared with a control group that did not receive proactive outreach. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most teens and preteens have not had all of the recommended vaccinations. None of the target vaccination goals established in the Healthy People 2010 report for this age group are currently being met.

“Even as the health care reform discussion continues, there are steps we can take right now to improve our own health care,” said Lonny Reisman, MD, chief medical officer at Aetna. “One such step is to follow through on evidence-based recommendations for vaccinations. Parents should discuss their child’s immunizations at each doctor’s visit, including yearly checkups and physical exams required for school or sports programs.” Reisman recommends keeping track of immunizations in an electronic personal health record. “A personal health record helps you and your physician keep your family’s immunizations on schedule. It is particularly helpful if you move or change doctors as it can prevent your child from getting duplicate vaccinations.”

To improve preteen vaccination rates, Aetna sends plan members caring for children ages eleven and twelve information on vaccinations. The reminder notices are available in English and Spanish and include an immunization schedule listing vaccines children need before age thirteen and a list of credible resources members can consult for more information.

Vaccines recommended for 11- and 12- year-olds

Tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap)
Protects against: tetanus (lockjaw) and diphtheria and whooping cough
1 shot — between ages 11 and 12 years old

Meningococcal (MCV4)
Protects against meningitis
1 shot — between ages 11 and 12 years old

Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Protects against cervical cancer (for females only)
3 shots — first shot between ages 11 and 12 years old;
second shot 2 months after the first shot; and the third shot 6 months after the first shot

Varicella (chicken pox)
Protects against chicken pox
1 additional shot
(Second shot is recommended for anyone who previously received only one dose)

Seasonal influenza vaccine
Protects against the seasonal flu
One shot (or nasal spray) each flu season

Special note: H1N1 influenza vaccine
This year, persons between the ages of 6 months through 24 years are among the priority groups recommended for protection against H1N1 (swine) flu. It is currently not known whether one or two doses of the vaccine will be needed.

Based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as of 4/30/09.

For many children, the arrival of the back-to-school season means they’ll soon be hitting the field as well as hitting the books. But, for those students currently not involved in a fall sport, Play It Again Sports is offering compelling reasons for why they should become engaged.

“Regular exercise and activity is good for a child’s physical development, but of equal importance are the mental benefits that can be reaped from sports participation as well,” said Pat Quinn, director of Play it Again Sports, which buys and sells quality used sports and fitness equipment. “As children adjust to the academic challenges of a new grade level, involvement in an organized sport can stimulate their brains and boost self-esteem.”

According to Team-Up for Youth, an organization dedicated to strengthening youth and communities through the power of sports, children who participate in sports have better academic outcomes in the classroom. For example, adolescents who engage in moderate physical activity five or more times a week are more likely to achieve an “A” in math and science than their peers.

With sports options such as soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and football, Quinn notes that the fall season offers activities suited for both genders and all ages. For those students looking for more of an individual pursuit, wrestling and cross country are worthwhile considerations.

Quinn does acknowledge that the process of trying out different sports can turn into an expensive endeavor for parents, since they are often required to purchase different gear for each sport. But, Quinn notes that at Play It Again Sports, used gear that is in good condition can be traded in for new merchandise and equipment.

“As children switch between sports and outgrow their gear, parents may find themselves with an attic or a garage filled with perfectly good but unused equipment,” said Quinn. “At Play It Again Sports those items can act as cash when they are traded in for new or gently-used merchandise.”

For the first time in eight years, Medicare premiums are going to remain unchanged for 2009.  What is the reason for the sudden change?  Well, due to a hospice payments accounting error, there is a surplus of capital available and therefore premiums are not going up, however with health care costs consistently outpacing inflation, it seems as if this move is more of a political maneuver rather than simply accounting for long-term costs.

Victoria Colliver, of the SFGate, had this to say about the situation, “From 2005 to 2007, about $9.3 billion in hospice payments mistakenly had been taken out of the portion of Medicare that beneficiaries pay premiums for, which includes outpatient doctor visits, home health services, physician-administered drugs and medical equipment. Those payments should have come out of Medicare’s Part A hospital fund and have been repaid this year to the fund supported by premiums, known as Part B.”

“It was painful to catch up, but now we have one year in which we can get rid of the catch-up amount and use that to offset the premium increases that otherwise would have happened,” said Richard Foster, Medicare’s chief actuary, estimating that next year’s increases would have been about 8.5 percent.

This is not a long term solution by any means, in fact this is a a one-time event that does nothing to address the core issue of:

• Compensating physicians properly for care
• Making healthcare affordable

What will the next few years look like for both patients and physicians?  Foster said the formula will cause a 20% reduction in physician payments for Part B Medicare services in 2010.  And this predicament will prove to not be beneficial for either party.

So Medicare patients, enjoy next year’s premiums, however please understand that there are deeper issues that need to be resolved in order to have a fully functional health care ecosystem.