PHA Releases Third Annual Progress Report

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which works with the private sector and PHA Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama to help end childhood obesity in a generation, today released its third annual report on the progress of private sector commitments to address the crisis.

From the shelves of grocery stores to major food companies to restaurants, hotels and childcare centers across the country, PHA and its partners are now reaching nearly every American where they live, work or play.

"To make the healthier choice the easier choice takes commitment, and we're proud of the good work our partners are doing," said PHA CEO Lawrence A. Soler. "The organizations PHA works with do more than just make a verbal commitment – they also welcome transparency and verification. The very definition of leadership."

PHA's partners make commitments with measureable outcomes that are verified by independent third parties and reported publicly by PHA. The 2014 Annual Progress Report  is a glimpse at where each partner stands as they work to fulfill their commitments. While the vast majority of PHA's partners are in the midst of multi-year change, seven completed their commitments this year:

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions
• Brown's Super Stores
• Cerner
• Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation
• New Horizon Academy
• Varsity Brands
• Walmart

Highlights from the 2014 report include:

• PHA partners nearly doubled the number of food stores in areas that lacked access to healthy, affordable food (from 372 to 602), serving more than 6.4 million individuals.
• Hospitals participating in PHA's Hospital Healthier Food Initiative are reporting year over year increases in sales of fruits, vegetables and wellness meals.
• Drink Up, PHA's effort to encourage people to drink more water more often, resulted in a 4 percent lift in bottled water and water filter sales.
• More than 15,000 schools have joined Let's Move! Active Schools, and are reaching over nine million children in all 50 states.
• More than 28,500 restaurants and hotels are now serving healthier children's meals.
• By the year 2020, PHA partners will reach nearly six million kids in childcare and out-of-school time programs with healthier food and increased physical activity.

The full report is available online at progressreports.ahealthieramerica.org.

The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is devoted to working with the private sector to ensure the health of our nation's youth by solving the childhood obesity crisis. In 2010, PHA was created in conjunction with – but independent from – First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! effort. PHA is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that is led by some of the nation's most respected health and childhood obesity experts. PHA brings together public, private and nonprofit leaders to broker meaningful commitments and develop strategies to end childhood obesity. Most important, PHA ensures that commitments made are commitments kept by working with unbiased, third parties to monitor and publicly report on the progress our partners are making. For more information about PHA, please visit www.aHealthierAmerica.org and follow PHA on Twitter @PHAnews.

SOURCE Partnership for a Healthier America