Nestlé launched its Healthy Kids Programme

Nestlé launched a programme for improving eating habits and the health condition of Hungarians in general. Within the framework of the Healthy Kids Programme Nestlé made commitments in the fields of product innovation and informing their consumers. The company hopes that this way it can contribute to making families’ diets more balanced, at the same time also convincing Hungarians to think more health-consciously. Györgyi Gyovai, Communication and Marketing Director of Nestlé Hungary talked about their partnership with the Hungarian Dietetic Association (MDOSZ) and the Hungarian Paediatric Association, conducting surveys to learn about the eating habits of Hungarian children so that bad patterns can be changed as early as possible. Change is needed badly: one third of schoolchildren don’t have breakfast, one fifth drink way too little and children don’t eat enough fibre in general. Milestones in the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme: – the 12-year-old Nutrikid programme continues in 2015; – further research and the dissemination of results will help parents in creating a balanced diet for the family; – Nestlé fortifies products made for children older than 6 months with minerals and vitamins; – in the last few years Nestlé produced more than 200 million portions of fortified food, from Nesquik chocolate drink powder (OptiStart recipe, added vitamin D, zinc and iron) to Nestlé breakfast cereals (calcium content increased by 70 percent, added vitamin D). Between 2011 and 2013 the company reduced the sugar content of children’s breakfast cereals by 22 percent and at the same time their grain content was increased to 30 percent.