TORONTO, ON, June 10, 2004 – Kellogg Canada is appealing to Canadians to take charge of their health with Step Up Canada!, a new national awareness campaign to increase our nation's physical activity level by challenging Canadians to "walk across Canada" by Canada Day.

A simple challenge that can make significant improvements in the health of individuals, Step Up Canada! invites Canadians to clip on a step counter, take an additional 2,000 steps a day (the equivalent to a 15 to 20 minute walk), and to "donate" their steps to health research.

The goal of Step Up Canada! is to increase the total number of steps donated to health research to 450 million steps by July 1. By logging on to www.stepupcanada.ca and clicking on "Donate Your Steps", Canadians can learn more about a national health research project launched earlier this year by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The steps recorded can make a difference in the health of Canadians because the collected data will be used by leading health researchers trying to understand the factors that motivate people to increase physical activity.

"The response was positively overwhelming when we first inserted step counters in our cereal boxes earlier this year, so we are back by popular demand and taking it one step further by asking Canadians to get active and log their steps," says Christine Lowry, Vice President, Nutrition and Corporate Affairs for Kellogg Canada." Step Up Canada! is one more example of Kellogg's solid commitment to providing practical solutions for healthy living. By participating, you'll be helping the health of Canada while improving your own."

Beginning this week, 1.5 million step counters will appear in specially marked boxes of Kellogg's Special K* cereals and Vector* meal replacement, while quantities last. Using a step counter to monitor daily steps can be an excellent motivator to help Canadians increase their daily activity levels.

To find out more, Canadians are invited to visit www.stepupcanada.ca where they can take the Step Up Canada! challenge. Registering at www.stepupcanada.ca gives participants rewarding incentives and information, including:

• The chance to make their mark on the Trans Canada Trail through a donation in their honour
• Information on how to log steps for health research
• Simple tips on how to add extra steps to your day
• The opportunity to win great prizes, courtesy of Kellogg Canada, for sharing their fitness story
• Tools to encourage friends and family to get active

About the Kellogg's Special K* Step Counter
Ideally, the Kellogg's Special K* step counter should be worn for four days to determine the average number of steps taken in a day. After determining the number of steps per day, simply walk 2,000 more steps to maintain a healthy body weight.

Why 2,000 more steps each day? According to a 2003 study published in the journal Science by Dr. James O. Hill, walking an additional 15 to 20 minutes a day closes the energy gap on accumulated, unused calories that cause weight gain. By clipping on a step counter, increasing and logging their steps, and making a conscious effort to make healthy food choices, Canadians will be well on their way to a healthier lifestyle.

According to Statistics Canada, more than half of all Canadians are overweight and 15 per cent of the adult population is obese. Walking is one of the easiest ways to be more physically active and is associated with significant physical and mental health benefits. Walking is affordable, safe for most people and can be easily integrated into people's daily lives.

The Kellogg's Special K* step counter program is supported with a creative television advertising campaign currently running across Canada in both English and French. The campaign is also supported on-pack, in-store, as well as via the Web and public relations.

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.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is the Government of Canada's premier agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system.

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