February Is Heart Month On Discovery Familia

USA - English

• Latin America - español

MIAMI, Feb. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- This February, American Heart Month, Discovery Familia dresses in red and launches the second year of "Listen to Your Heart", a campaign designed to raise awareness and educate Hispanic women about heart disease and its risk factors.  The initiative includes special programming, Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and a microsite created specifically to provide information about heart disease and tips for its prevention.

"Listen to Your Heart" also includes a special collaboration with The Heart Truth^® a national campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

The PSAs, created in partnership with The Heart Truth, feature Jeannette Torres, the official ambassador for Discovery Familia. They offer information about risk factors, such as being overweight, high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as ways to prevent heart disease.  The PSAs will air during the network's nighttime programming in February.

The "Listen to Your Heart" microsite http://www.discoveryfamilia.com/familia/fansite/escucha-tu-corazon offers helpful tools and specific information about cardiovascular disease, practical tips, infographics, statistics and videos.  It will also feature the broadcast of The Heart Truth campaign's Red Dress Collection^SM Fashion Show in New York, on February 6 at 7 PM ET. This annual event during New York Fashion Week brings together 19 celebrities walking the runway in red dresses created by leading designers to warn women about the risk of heart disease.

Continuing its commitment to offer Hispanic mothers information and programs developed specifically to address their needs, Discovery Familia will broadcast special programming during its "Sabados Medicos" (Medical Saturdays) block at 10 PM E/P, every Saturday during the month of February.  On February 9, renowned health expert Jillian Michaels helps change the lifestyle of a family with heart problems on SUDANDO CON JILLIAN (Losing It with Jillian.)  On February 16, nutritionist Gillian McKeith hosts SEXY Y SALUDABLE (Eat Yourself Sexy), which shows how to overcome junk food addiction as a step toward avoiding heart disease and other health problems. Throughout the month, special episodes of DETECTIVES DE SALUD (What's Good for You) will address cardiovascular issues.

As part of its activities in support of American Heart Month, the network has also launched "Discovery Familia te lleva a Nueva York" (Discovery Familia Takes You to New York), a contest that asked viewers to share experiences and tips about how and why to protect their hearts. The winner will attend the Red Dress Collection Fashion Show in New York.

Research studies reveal the following key data about women and heart disease:

(1)   CDC Wonder 
(2)   National Health Interview Survey, 2011
(3)   NHLBI unpublished tabulation of prevalence estimates from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2010.

• More women die from heart disease than from all types of cancer combined⁽¹⁾
• Among Hispanic women ages 18-64, 9 percent are current smokers and 40 percent are physically inactive ⁽²⁾
• Some 86 percent of midlife Mexican American women are overweight or obese, and 11 percent have been diagnosed with diabetes ⁽³⁾

To learn more about this topic, Discovery Familia programming, interactive games, videos and news, please visit www.discoveryfamilia.com or follow us on facebook.com/discoveryfamilia.

About Discovery Familia     
Part of Discovery Communications, Discovery Familia is the only Spanish language network completely dedicated to the Hispanic mom and what's important to her: her kids, her home and her well-being.   With insightful programming targeted to children aged 2-6, the network's daily Discovery Kids block provides a safe, entertaining and curriculum-based co-viewing experience that helps preschoolers get ready for the real world. Each night, Discovery Familia is programmed for mom, spanning relevant topics from cooking and home improvement, to parenting and relationships, to beauty and health.  With trusted content, entertaining programs and unmatched quality, Discovery Familia is a place that Hispanic moms and their children can call "home."  For more information, please visit discoveryfamilia.com or follow us on facebook.com/discoveryfamilia.

About The Heart Truth     
The Heart Truth^® is a national campaign for women about heart disease and is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Through the campaign, the NHLBI leads the nation in a landmark heart health movement embraced by millions who share the common goal of better heart health for all women.

The centerpiece of The Heart Truth is the Red Dress^SM, which was introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 by the NHLBI. The Red Dress reminds women of the need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action.

To learn more, visit www.hearttruth.gov.

The Heart Truth and The Red Dress are registered trademarks of HHS.  Red Dress and Red Dress Collection are service marks of HHS.

SOURCE Discovery Familia