In 1963, the U.S. Congress requested the President issue a proclamation designating February as American Heart Month. Beginning in 1964, these presidential proclamations have urged Americans to take action for the prevention and control of diseases of the heart and blood vessels and their major risk factors. These proclamations typically inform Americans of the huge social, economic, and human toll of heart disease and adverse trends such as the rising tide of risk factors and associated health care costs. The grim statistics quoted annually can truly spell bad news! As President Obama noted in this year’s proclamation, heart disease is “a staggering health problem” and remains the “leading cause of death for American women and men.” Recent data supporting genuine concern about heart health are well-documented in the 2011 update of the Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics published by the American Heart Association (AHA), in conjunction... Read more

As the different activities during American Heart Month come to a close this week, it is important to remind all of us what PepsiCo is doing to promote heart health and help reduce the burden of heart disease and its risk factors. As many of you know, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. It is also a major cause of disability, reduced quality of life, and rising health care costs. It is now well-recognized that poor nutrition and physical inactivity are some of the most important factors that contribute to poor health. At PepsiCo, we are on a journey to transform our portfolio of products to support our consumers in their effort to reduce their risk of heart disease and promote overall well-being. We recognize that specific changes in food industry practices can favorably impact diet and nutrition,... Read more