Welch's Family Vine Tool Enables Families to Trace Their Heart Health History

Consumers Encouraged To Take an Active Role in their Personal Heart Health

CONCORD, Mass., Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In time for American Heart Month, Welch's has introduced the Welch's Family Vine Tool, an online resource that enables consumers to trace their heart health history (1). Most Americans – 96%, according to one recent survey – believe that knowing their family health history is important.  Yet only one-third of Americans have ever tried to gather this information (2).

"Diet and exercise affect your health but so do your genes.  That's why it's important to understand and evaluate your heart health history," said Diane Henderiks, R.D. and culinary nutritionist. "The Welch's Family Vine Tool is an easy way to take an active role in your personal and family heart health – not only this month, but moving forward."

Specifically:

• Overview: The Welch's Family Vine Tool, an adaptation of the U.S. Surgeon General's concept, provides a simple way to capture and record essential health information in order to facilitate important conversations with family members and healthcare providers.
• Process: The tool is simple to use. On welchsfamilyvinetool.com, individuals can create a free profile and fill in their family health histories. The data is then recorded and assembled from the personal and family health information provided, which can then be saved or printed and shared at the individual's next doctor's visit.
• Privacy: The Welch's Family Vine tool does not keep a record of the information provided by users. Once the tool is complete, users can save the information to their personal computers or share it with family members to encourage them to create their own health histories.

"At Welch's, we believe it's important for people to take an active role in their personal health, which often goes beyond what one eats or drinks," said Matt Wohl, chief marketing officer for the company. "We hope the Welch's Family Vine Tool can be a catalyst for family members to assess their lifestyle choices, opening the dialogue and encouraging them to be more educated about their heart health, and those of their loved ones."

Knowing your family's heart health history is one step to maintaining a healthy heart, and based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (3), which provides recommendations on healthy eating and drinking options, increased fruit and vegetable consumption is important for promoting overall health. Fruits, vegetables and their juices, including Concord grapes and Concord grape juice, have essential vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant nutrients called polyphenols. In fact, 100% grape juice provides one serving (or 1/2 cup) of fruit in every four-ounce glass.  

More than a decade's worth of research suggests that drinking Concord grape juice may benefit the heart by helping to maintain healthy, clear and flexible arteries to promote healthy blood flow (4). For more, visit the Grape Science Center at grapescience.com.

About Welch's

Headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts, Welch's is the processing and marketing subsidiary of the National Grape Cooperative. Welch's is owned by 1,150 family-farmers across America and in Ontario, Canada, who make up this cooperative and who grow the delicious and inherently healthy Concord grape, used in Welch's juices and other grape-based products. Welch's is committed to research and development that will meet the growing demand for products that address consumers' health and nutrition needs. Welch's products are sold throughout the United States and in approximately 50 countries around the globe. For more information on Welch's, welchs.com and grapescience.com.

(1) Since your heart health is often impacted by other medical and nutrition factors, it's important to assess your overall health with your doctor.

(2) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Surgeon General's Family Health History Initiative http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory. (Accessed: Jan 19, 2011).

(3) 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), available at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm.

(4) Please see grapescience.com for relevant references.

SOURCE Welch's