TORONTO, ON, January 8, 2004 – Despite the fact that walking is considered to be one of the easiest ways to add physical activity to your day, more than half of Canadians (54 per cent) walk less than 15 to 20 minutes a day (the equivalent of about 2,000 steps), according to a recent Ipsos-Reid poll⁽¹⁾ sponsored by Kellogg Canada. To address this issue, Kellogg Canada today announced a unique industry-government step counter campaign to encourage Canadians to take charge of their health and donate their steps to health research.

Beginning this week, over 800,000 free step counters will appear in specially-marked boxes of Kellogg's Special K* and Special K* Red Berries cereals while quantities last. There will also be a national appeal on the cereal packages encouraging Canadians to clip on their step counters and donate their steps online at Canada on the Move (www.canadaonthemove.ca), a new national research endeavour organized by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Through this initiative, CIHR's Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes intends to study the effectiveness of step counters in increasing physical activity.

According to Statistics Canada, more than half of all Canadians are overweight and almost 15 per cent of the population is obese. Yet, the Ipsos-Reid survey⁽¹⁾ found that an overwhelming majority (77 per cent) claim it is easy to incorporate physical activity into their day. This suggests that although Canadians do claim to have more time to exercise, current obesity rates indicate we aren't physically active enough.

“We recognize that all sectors of society need to work together to solve the current obesity epidemic,” said Christine Lowry, Vice President, Nutrition and Corporate Affairs. “Kellogg Canada is firmly committed to partnerships designed to find practical solutions to address this complex health issue and we believe our Special K Step Counter initiative is a step in the right direction!”

The Kellogg's Special K* Step Counter commitment is an easy and simple program designed to encourage Canadians to keep track of their daily steps and set realistic physical activity goals. Ideally, the step counter should be worn for four days to determine average number of steps taken in a day. Once you have determined the average number of steps you take each day, then simply add 2,000 more (about 15 to 20 minutes of walking) to maintain a healthy body weight.

Why 2,000 more steps per day? According to a 2003 study published in the journal Science by Dr. James O. Hill, founder of America on the Move, walking an additional 15 to 20 minutes a day closes the energy gap on accumulated, unused calories that cause weight gain. However, 56 per cent of Canadians surveyed believe 2,000 steps per day in total to be a sufficient amount of exercise to maintain body weight.

“This is the kind of program that will make it easier for Canadians to increase their physical activity levels and take charge of their health,” said Lowry. “It doesn't matter how you increase your steps or how fast you go, just that you take more steps. It's as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further away in the mall parking lot.”

The survey also found, among other things, that:

• 64 per cent of adults are trying to maintain their weight and an additional 29 per cent are trying to lose weight;
• Only 56 per cent of Canadians have heard of a step counter or pedometer;
• Only 14 per cent of Canadians currently own a step counter or pedometer.

Kellogg's Step Counter Commitment program is supported with a creative television advertising campaign currently running in English and French Canada. The ad campaign is also supported with public relations, in-store merchandising, and a special mail-in offer on secondary brands including Vive*, Just Right*, Muslix* Almond-Raisin, Muslix* Banana Nut, Vector*, and Corn Flakes*.

About Kellogg Canada
Founded in 1906, Kellogg Canada is the leading manufacturer of ready-to-eat cereal in Canada. In addition to providing nutritious, high-quality foods, Kellogg Canada is committed to educating consumers about nutrition through responsible packaging, brochures, advertising and symposia developed with the scientific and medical communities. We have a long-standing relationship with Health Canada and we have partnered with many health-related organizations. For more information, visit the Kellogg Canada web site at www.kelloggs.ca.

⁽¹⁾ The Ipsos-Reid survey commissioned by Kellogg Canada was conducted between November 25-27, 2003 with a sample of 1,000 people across Canada. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to be within ±3.1, 19 times out of 20.

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