STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The makers of NESTLÉ® PURE LIFE® Purified Water, the #1 bottled water brand in the U.S. by volume, is excited to announce a new campaign dedicated to encouraging children to drink more water. A recent study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that a little more than half of all children and adolescents weren’t getting enough hydration. Although excessive dehydration, which is rare, is associated with serious health problems, even mild dehydration can cause issues, including headaches, irritability, poorer physical performance, and reduced cognitive functioning.[1]

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The people who bring you NESTLÉ PURE LIFE believe that establishing patterns of healthy hydration and other healthy habits early on in childhood can have wide ranging benefits, and moms agree. A recent survey conducted for NESTLÉ PURE LIFE found that 97% of moms believe that one healthy choice leads to making other healthy choices – the brand calls this The Ripple Effect. [2] Choosing water is an easy choice to make.

To help jumpstart The Ripple Effect movement, the brand has partnered with After-School All-Stars, a leading national provider of comprehensive after-school programs. NESTLÉ PURE LIFE has committed to provide nearly one million 8-ounce servings of NESTLÉ® PURE LIFE® Purified Water to kids this school year through After-School All-Stars afterschool programs.[3]

“Our mission has always been to help children succeed in school and in life, and healthy lifestyle choices are a key part of that” says Ben Paul, President & CEO of After-School All-Stars. “We are thrilled to encourage healthy hydration habits by partnering with NESTLÉ PURE LIFE, and thankful that they’ve been able to provide our kids with water and refillable bottles to keep them hydrated – from the classroom to the after school activities that they pursue – in an environmentally responsible manner.”  

The NESTLÉ PURE LIFE survey also found that 33% of moms say that getting their kids to drink water is a more common struggle than encouraging their kids to get enough exercise or eating their breakfast.[2] “Keeping kids hydrated isn’t always easy especially with hectic schedules and the daily grind of maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” says Robin Plotkin, RD, LD. “Although it can be a struggle, the importance of encouraging those healthy habits early on can have meaningful results that serve as building blocks for a healthy lifestyle. ” The survey also found that kids who drink 4 or more glasses of water a day frequently exhibit healthy habits  like getting their own water when thirsty, eating fruits and vegetables at meal times without reminders and requesting healthy food and beverage options for school lunch.[2]

In addition to the water provided to After-School All-Stars, NESTLÉ PURE LIFE is providing moms and kids with resources that encourage healthy hydration. “As part of our work with the Partnership for a Healthier America’s Drink Up Initiative, NESTLÉ PURE LIFE has been committed to helping kids drink more water as part of their efforts to help establish healthy habits with children early on,” says Helene Lee, Senior Brand Manager at Nestlé Waters North America. “Through The Ripple Effect, we’re giving moms the support they need to help their kids make healthier choices – ones that will benefit them throughout their lives. With the help of After-School All-Stars we’re empowering moms and kids to make healthy hydration a part of their everyday routine.”  

“Our mission is to encourage everyone to drink more water, and we’re thrilled to see our partners at NESTLÉ PURE LIFE helping to aid those efforts through their work on The Ripple Effect program,” says Bonnie McLaughlin, PHA’s director of Drink Up.

To become a part of The Ripple Effect, people can visit www.PureLifeRippleEffect.com and share their tips for healthy hydration using #pureliferippleeffect.

About Nestlé Pure Life
The number one U.S. bottled water brand (by volume) according to Beverage Marketing Corporation, the NESTLÉ® PURE LIFE® brand is committed to helping families make calorie-free beverage choices.  NESTLÉ PURE LIFE Purified Water goes through a multi-step filtration process and is enhanced with a unique blend of minerals for a pleasant, refreshing taste.  NESTLÉ PURE LIFE Exotics™, an unsweetened sparkling water with flavorful exotic fruit essences, is another healthy hydration option.  NESTLÉ PURE LIFE is a brand of the leading bottled water company, Nestle Waters North America Inc.

About Nestlé Waters North America
With 38 years of experience providing healthy hydration in the bottled water segment, Nestlé Waters North America is the nation’s leading bottled water company. The company produces six regional natural spring water brands in the U.S., distributes three international bottled water brands, and sells its national brands resource® and Nestle® Pure Life®.  Completing its beverage portfolio are ready-to-drink iced teas, including Nestea® Iced Tea. The company’s dedication to quality products, bringing shared value to communities and its commitment to environmental stewardship, especially in the areas of water use, energy and packaging, has led Nestlé Waters North America to be the third largest non-alcoholic beverage company by volume in the U.S.

About After-School All-Stars
Founded in 1992, After-School All-Stars (ASAS) is a leading national provider of year-round, school-based, comprehensive afterschool programs. The organization’s mission is to keep children safe and help them succeed in school and in life. Every school day, students in low-income communities have access to free programs that offer academic support, enrichment opportunities, and health and fitness activities. Nearly 75,000 children from 16 U.S. regions benefit: ASAS serves Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, North Texas, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Antonio, South Florida, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.as-as.org

About The Partnership for a Healthier America
The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is devoted to working with the private sector to ensure the health of our nation’s youth by solving the childhood obesity crisis. In 2010, PHA was created in conjunction with – but independent from – First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! effort. PHA is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that is led by some of the nation’s most respected health and childhood obesity experts. PHA brings together public, private and nonprofit leaders to broker meaningful commitments and develop strategies to end childhood obesity. Most important, PHA ensures that commitments made are commitments kept by working with unbiased third parties to monitor and publicly report on the progress our partners are making. For more information about PHA, please visit www.aHealthierAmerica.org and follow PHA on Twitter @PHAnews.

[1] “Prevalence of Inadequate Hydration among US Children and Disparities by Gender and Race/Ethnicity: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009-2012,” Erica L. Kenney, Michael W. Long, Angie L. Cradock, Steven L. Gortmaker, American Journal of Public Health, online June 11, 2015, doi:10.2105/AJPH.2015.302572.

[2] The Nestle Pure Life “The Ripple Effect” Survey was conducted by KRC Research via an online survey of 1,077 moms of kids ages 6-12 overall, including 254 Hispanic moms of kids ages 6-12. 1,077 kids ages 6-12 from the same household were also surveyed, including 254 Hispanic kids ages 6-12. This research was conducted between June 5-19, 2015.

[3] At over 20 participating schools in select markets across the country