NFL Play 60 Helps Students and Schools Fight Obesity

The National Football League (NFL) in collaboration with the USDA and the National Dairy Council (NDC) are doing their part to encourage the country’s youth to stay healthy and active.
With their joint Fuel Up to Play 60 campaign, these three powerhouses are asking that all 4th-10th grade students from 60,000 schools across the country make a commitment to eating healthier every day and engaging in 60 minutes of fun activity in school or outside of school. Students will have an opportunity to track their progress online where they earn points and enter to win countless prizes like an iPod touch, giveaways and exclusive NFL downloads.
The campaign is spliced into two terms, October 15 through December 15, 2009 and February 15 through April 15, 2010, and will end with the ultimate prize going to the student who has amassed the most points. The grand prize is a starring role in a Fuel Up to Play 60 promotion with an NFL player plus a day spent with an NFL player working out with his own personal trainer.
In addition, schools can also sign up for the program as they help to inspire kids to “get up and play” for 60 minutes a day and to “fuel up” with the nutrient rich foods kids don’t get enough of low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Schools that would like to participate receive a complete guide for how to kick start the event, designate program coordinators, build a school Fuel Up to Play 60 team and teach the programs modules aimed at healthy eating and exercise.
To find out more about this program, check out the campaign’s website.