Students Asked to Track Food and Activity Choices for Prizes | Business

Almost one-third of children in the United States are overweight or obese. Making physical activity and better eating a part of daily life is the aim of a back-to-school contest sponsored by local SUBWAY® restaurants. Public, private or home schooled students ages 5 to 14 can participate with parent permission. Kids can pick up a Fresh Start Challenge entry form at participating SUBWAY® restaurants to begin tracking their good food and activity choices. The Fresh Start Challenge ends Sept. 30.

Each student who mails in the completed entry form will receive a coupon for a free SUBWAY FRESH FIT® kid’s meal or 6-inch sub sandwich. In the Midlands, two student winners will be selected by random drawing to receive a sub party for their class and a $1,000 fitness grant for their school.

SUBWAY® restaurants has partnered with the Jared Foundation and its premier program called CATCH® (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) for guidance and tips to help students track their daily progress toward a healthier life.

“CATCH® programs are already in many local schools and we are excited to support building healthy children, families and communities,” said national SUBWAY® spokesperson Jared Fogle.  “Through the Fresh Start Challenge, we want students to start the year off right with a focus on good health and nutrition habits. We also encourage them to make it fun by getting their family and classmates involved.”

September is national Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Childhood obesity is a major contributor to chronic illness and alone is responsible for $14.1 billion in direct medical costs, according to an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation, released in May 2012.

More information about the Fresh Start Challenge and entry forms are available at participating SUBWAY® restaurants and online at subwayfreshstart.com.