Family Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD are partnering with Concerned Children’s Advertisers, NBA Canada, the YMCA and print and broadcast media across the country to promote Healthy Me Week, an initiative dedicated to encouraging kids to get fit through physical activity and proper nutrition. The nationwide campaign, beginning today and running until June 8, is being supported on the three kids networks with a wide range of programming dedicated to being active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
On Family Channel, viewers can catch Disney’s exclusive Magic of Healthy Living Try It short-form content featuring network stars participating in active lifestyle challenges. Actors from Wizards of Waverly Place and Shake It Up demonstrate how they keep moving year-round with activities including sports, dancing and performance drills. They also inform viewers about how easy it is to be fit and talk to real kids about their healthy habits.
Disney XD is hosting Try It shorts that see stars from Kickin’ It, Lab Rats and Pair of Kings face-off in different sports and agility competitions. The network will also broadcast the Canadian original short series Disney XD Drops In, which features Disney XD correspondent Coulton Conway learning new skills from the country’s top athletes. Episodes feature sports and athletes such as lacrosse with Garrett Billings of the Toronto Rock; archery with Team Pan American 2011 Medalist Crispin Duenas; and basketball with NBA star and Healthy Me Week ambassador Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“As a professional athlete, I have witnessed first-hand the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle. So I am very pleased to be involved in Healthy Me Week, an initiative that inspires and empowers young people to make decisions to promote their own health and fitness,” said Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Healthy Me Week ambassador. “The theme of Healthy Me Week is Get Up! Fuel Up! Own Up! which speaks to the importance of eating well, exercising and taking control of your own health. You are never too young, or too old, to develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime and help you achieve your dreams.”
Younger viewers and their families can receive an early introduction to healthy eating and exercise with a multitude of special content on Disney Junior. Both the French- and English-language networks have short series that address being active including Mickey Mousekersize, Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps and Feeling Good with JoJo; while The Bite-Sized Adventures of Sam Sandwich, Tasty Time with ZeFronk and Adventures in Nutrition with Captain Carlos look at the importance of eating right.
By visiting Family.ca and DisneyXD.ca, viewers can learn more about the Healthy Me Week campaign and view all the special healthy living shorts featured during the week. The websites also link to the Healthy Me Week website (www.healthymeweek.com) that includes information and tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle for young people.