MIAMI, March 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- High school students across the country are about to experience firsthand how the foods they eat impact their bodies, through a national educational program designed to teach them about the dangers of excessive sugar consumption.
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. ( Atkins ) today unveiled its partnership on the education initiative with HealthCorps , a national non-profit organization that gives teens tools to improve physical and mental health so they can live happier and more productive lives.
The program, which will be taught in all of HealthCorps’ 22 Living Lab high schools, was unveiled at Coral Gables High School in Coral Gables, Florida, a suburb of Miami. The program curriculum focuses on highly interactive and engaging activities that help students understand the harmful effects of hidden sugars and the importance of healthy snacking.
Utilizing HealthCorps’ curriculum for the initiative, Atkins and HealthCorps updated the organization’s popular “Think Before You Drink” activity which shows how establishing healthy behaviors, such as making better beverage choices, helps the body function more efficiently. Together HealthCorps and Atkins also updated the “Understanding Diabetes” curriculum which examines the different types of diabetes, their causes and effects, and methods of treatment and prevention.
Participating students will also get a chance to test out a virtual reality (VR) experience, dubbed the Sugar Goggles. This activity, which enhances the updated HealthCorps curriculum, takes users through a tunnel in the human body and shows how the body responds to low-sugar foods (which provide balanced energy) and high-sugar foods (which cause blood sugar spikes and crashes).
HealthCorps, founded by heart surgeon and Daytime Emmy Award-winning host Dr. Mehmet Oz and his wife Lisa, recruits recent college graduates, called Coordinators, to educate high school students across the country about health and wellness issues. HealthCorps currently features Atkins-created content in all its school- and community-focused programs, including its professional development training program, HealthCorps University.
“We share a deep commitment with Atkins to helping people understand the connection between lifestyle choices and chronic illnesses such as diabetes,” said Michelle Bouchard, HealthCorps president. “We are grateful to partner with Atkins’ nutritional and medical experts to help young Americans understand how much sugar they are consuming and the toxic effects of excessive consumption.”
“HealthCorps’ work aligns with Atkins’ core mission to educate and empower people to live healthier lives – which is especially consequential for our younger generations,” said Joe Scalzo, chief executive officer and president, Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. “With the life expectancy declining and so many fatalities linked to obesity, we all need to do our part to reverse these staggering statistics – because what we are seeing today is truly unnecessary.”
About Atkins
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. is the leading low carb lifestyle brand, committed to educating and empowering people to learn a healthier way to eat. From weight loss and maintenance to improved overall health, Atkins offers the tools and education to achieve balanced nutrition by reducing sugar and eating foods rich in protein, good fats and nutrient-dense carbohydrates. Its extended portfolio of products, ranging from frozen meals and nutrition bars to shakes and snacks, provides convenient low carb solutions to help the body burn more fat, work more efficiently and feel more satisfied with steady energy. Backed by more than 80 published clinical scientific studies and millions of consumer success stories, Atkins products are available online at Atkins.com and in more than 43,000 locations throughout the U.S. and internationally. To learn more about Atkins, visit Atkins.com .
About HealthCorps
HealthCorps is a national non-profit organization that gives teens tools to improve physical and mental health so they can learn to live more productive and happier lives. HealthCorps students exercise more, eat better and practice positive thought. The program will impact almost 1 million students across 22 states in 2017.
The HealthCorps curriculum has been refined and developed in its in-school Living Labs program since 2003, where a full-time Coordinator is placed inside a high-need high school to mentor hundreds of students, teach health related workshops, and promote a variety of during and after school activities. Coordinators are recent college graduates who go on to careers in medicine, public health policy or wellness practices.
HealthCorps University is an intense professional development program that certifies participants to bring HealthCorps’ innovative health and wellness curriculum to their organization whether it’s a school system, community organization or corporation. In 2015, HealthCorps teamed with CK-12 to distribute free, interactive and customizable versions of the HealthCorps curriculum for educators and students to use. For more information, please visit www.healthcorps.org .
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