Hockey superstar Sidney Crosby teams up with Kellogg's to educate Canadians
on scoring the body benefits of fibre

    
    New survey reveals that Canadians get an "F" in fibre

    NOTE TO EDITORS: Photo of Sidney Crosby unveiling what's under his jersey
    is available on the wire or upon request
    

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 6 /CNW/ - National hockey superstar and home grown Canadian athlete, Sidney Crosby , is giving Canadians a glimpse of what's under his jersey to encourage them to eat more fibre. The acclaimed athlete and 2009 Stanley Cup champion is backing a campaign by Kellogg Canada by donning a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted second skin to raise awareness of fibre's body benefits after learning that Canadians are not making the grade when it comes to fibre consumption.

The importance of fibre to overall health is well documented, yet Canadians simply aren't getting enough. In a recent survey commissioned by Kellogg Canada , only 16 per cent of respondents indicated that they consume the recommended daily fibre intake of 25 grams of fibre per day, while a staggering 60 per cent didn't know how many grams they consume daily.

"As an athlete, I know how important it is to eat well and get this powerhouse nutrient in your diet regardless of your age or your fitness levels," said Sidney Crosby . "Fibre benefits far more than some may think: your heart, your digestive system, your weight, and your energy levels. It's hard to believe that something as simple as eating fibre can help your body in so many ways, yet we're not getting enough. That's why I'm excited to be supporting Kellogg's efforts to educate Canadians on scoring the body benefits of fibre."

When it comes to eating fibre, the Kellogg Fibre Survey showed that younger Canadians are more likely to admit they don't get enough - 45 per cent of those aged 18 to 34 and 41 per cent of those aged 35 to 54 think they're not getting enough of the recommended daily fibre. According to scientific research, fibre promotes health in many ways and some key benefits include: helps promote regularity, keeps you feeling full and satisfied, contributes to healthy cholesterol levels and may also help protect against cancer.

"Survey results revealed that many Canadians are in the dark with respect to fibre intake," says Christine Lowry , vice president, nutrition and corporate affairs, Kellogg Canada Inc. "Kellogg's is taking a leadership role in helping consumers - young and old - understand how to get more fibre in their diet. Cereal is a great way to do so, and Kellogg Canada has more ready-to-eat cereals that are at least a source of fibre than any other food company, including Kellogg's All-Bran, Kellogg's Two Scoops Raisin Bran, Kellogg's Mini Wheats, Special K Satisfaction and MultiGrain Krispies."

So why aren't Canadians getting a passing grade when it comes to fibre consumption? According to the Kellogg's Fibre Survey, consumers mistakenly believe products that tout "whole grain" are always high in fibre. And, while whole grain consumption is an important contributor to health, studies reveal that the major benefit from eating whole grain foods come from the fibre content.

FIBRE-pedia Helps Raise the Grade

"Fibre brings big benefits, yet Canadian intake falls dramatically short of dietary recommendations(1)," said Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN., nutrition consultant for the Pittsburgh Penguins and former consultant to the Toronto Blue Jays. "Confusion about how to find foods with fibre likely contributes to Canada's fibre deficit."

In addition to partnering with Sidney Crosby , Kellogg Canada has teamed up with Bonci to offer FIBRE-pedia: A comprehensive look at fibre to help consumers better understand fibre and choose foods that offer its important health benefits. This free, downloadable resource provides consumers with the knowledge they need to incorporate good sources of fibre into their diets. It is available online, along with other helpful tools, including a fibre tool to help track daily fibre intake at www.kelloggsnutrition.ca.

    
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    (1) Health Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 2.2, Nutrition
        (2004). Nutrient Intakes from Food. Provincial, Regional and National
        Summary Data Tables: Volume 1.
    

Flip for Fibre

According to the Kellogg Fibre Survey, Canadians may be mistakenly turning to whole grain products in order to increase their fibre intake. Survey results reveal that when Canadians see the words "whole grain" on a food package, nearly 69 per cent assume the product is a high source of fibre. But as it turns out, this isn't always the case. The fibre content of whole grain foods can vary greatly. Not all foods made with whole grain ingredients provide a significant amount of fibre. And some fibre-rich foods do not contain whole grain ingredients at all.

"Along with Kellogg Canada's FIBRE-pedia, checking out the nutrition label on food products to see if they contain fibre is the first step to knowing which food to choose to bridge your fibre gap," said Bonci.

About the Kellogg's Fibre Survey

The Kellogg's Fibre Survey was conducted by Ipsos Reid. The poll was conducted from June 19-24, 2009, on behalf of Kellogg. For this survey, a national sample of 2010 adults aged 18 and older from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100 per cent response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-2.3 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire adult population been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

About Kellogg Canada

Founded in 1914, Kellogg Canada is the leading manufacturer of ready-to-eat cereal in Canada . The company's brands include Special K*, Vector*, All-Bran*, Kellogg's Corn Flakes*, Kellogg's* Two Scoops* Raisin Bran, Eggo*, Nutri-Grain*, Rice Krispies*, Pop-Tarts*, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes*, and Froot Loops*. In addition to providing nutritious, high-quality foods, Kellogg Canada is committed to educating consumers about nutrition and healthy, active living through responsible packaging, brochures, advertising and symposia developed with the scientific and medical communities. For more information, visit the Kellogg Canada Web site at www.kelloggs.ca.

    
    /NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at
    http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the
    media/
    

For further information: Katie Zier-Vogel, [phone], [email protected]; Kellogg Canada Media Hotline, [phone], [email protected]