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Physical and Health Education Canada Teams Up with AstraZeneca Canada to Unveil Groundbreaking Children’s Wellness Program

n October 29, 2008, AstraZeneca Canada and OPhysical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) announced the launch of the groundbreaking children’s wellness initiative At My Best™. Aimed at improving the health and well-being of Canadian chil - dren, At My Best™ is a unique school-based program that focuses on three key areas of wellness: physical, nutritional and emotional health. With most children not getting the daily minimum requirement of fruits and vegetables and a quarter of Canadian children being either overweight or obese, At My Best™ is a compre - hensive and innovative solution to these disturbing Huntington Ridge PS students Loveleen Gaidhu (left) and issues. Developed by PHE Canada and AstraZeneca Nagam Amer (right), both age 8, perform physical activity at Canada, At My Best™ has been officially endorsed by their school in Mississauga, Wednesday, October 29, 2008, with the College of Family Physicians and will be available and Rae, a character from the newly to primary schools across the country. launched children’s wellness program, At My Best™. Created Aimed at students in kindergarten to grade three, At by AstraZeneca Canada and PHE Canada, At My Best™ promotes exercise, healthy eating and emotional well-being for My Best™ was piloted in a number of Mississauga kids from kindergarten to grade three. schools from January to June 2008. The pilot was a ion resounding success with teachers across the region, © ut with the majority assessing the program as extremely To date, AstraZeneca Canadiabhas invested $4 mil - t tr ad, positive and describing their students’ reactions to the lionhin the developmenitsand lanulnoch of At My Best™. rig l D dow program as being very enthusiastic. During the ypilot, The companiyawill coanntributeumsoere than $1 million in teachers noticed that At My Best™ had an obpservable 2009 arndcwill ceornstinue tonamlake significant investment o e us rso impact on their students who beganCmaking healthier min subisseequdent yeraprseto help bring At My Best™ to pri - m hor y fo choices, increasing their physical activity leveols and Aumt ary schoopols across the country. C d. le c displaying more confidence. Pilot teacherrs also iftoeund iFnogr more information, contact the following: o hib a s At My Best™ easy to use andleengagingpfroor theirinstu - • About At My Best ™: a use pr dents. Parents credited AtSMy Beedst™ withaenndcouraging Bunmi Adeoye, NKPR or oris iew their kids to mfake a uftohcused yef,fovrt to eat healthier (416) 365-3630, ext. 26 ot na pla foods.NThey alsoUnotedditshat their children had an [email protected] increased knowledge of the connection between physi - • About PHE Canada: cal activity, healthy eating and emotional well-being. Andrea Grantham, Executive Director “While there is growing awareness about increasing (613) 523-1348, ext. 224 levels of physical inactivity and unhealthy lifestyle [email protected] habits among children and youth, there is increased • About AstraZeneca Canada Inc.: pressure on schools and the greater community to play Jennifer McCormack a role in reversing these trends,” says PHE Canada (905) 615-6837 President Mark Jones. “Many schools across Canada [email protected] welcome the provision of high quality, user-friendly Or, visit At My Best™ online at www.atmybest.ca. resources that can support the delivery of quality school CPM health and physical education programs. We’re happy to get involved and make that happen.”

Canadian Pharmaceutical Marketing / February 2009 41