Overweight children and teens: Need for action in Turkish families living in Germany

02 July 2009 

"Akıllıca tatlı yemenin sırları" (Clever Snacking). MARS Süßwaren Deutschland in collaboration with the TDG (TDG = Türkisch-Deutsche Gesundheitsstiftung e.V.) has started an educational program for families with a Turkish migration history. Background impetus comes from the comparably high number of overweight children and youth in this cultural group and the lack of language and culture based educational programs on the topics of physical activity and exercise. The initiative of the family-owned company MARS and the TDG is aimed at a long-term bundling of existing competencies and developing customized information offers together with experts. Other companies, networks and multipliers have been invited to help design the new proposals. Today at the Federal Press Conference, MARS and the TDG presented the "Actions Kids" guidebook for the City of Berlin in Turkish as their kick-off project. Ursula Heinen-Esser (Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection) and Ekin Deligöz (Chairman of the Children Commission of the Federal Parliament) appreciated this concerted effort.

As the first company in the industry, MARS has committed itself to pro-active, transparent consumer education on responsible snacking under the headline "Clever Naschen" through the parent portal www.clever-naschen.de and the guidebook series "Action Kids". As a special service since June, information for the Turkish "Action Kids" in the Berlin issue is also available at the Turkish site: www.acillica-tatli-yemenin-sirlari.de. "Reaching out to risk groups is the logical consequence of our long-term strategy", says Thomas Bittinger, General Manager of MARS Süßwaren Deutschland. The Turkish-German Health Foundation (TDG) appreciates the initiative as very few Turkish families in Germany have access to relevant educational information. "Obesity is one of our biggest health problems. On the other hand, many Turkish families still have the misconception that a "well-rounded child" is a sign of good health", explains Dr Yasar Bilgin, Chairman of the TDG. Working together with a family operation like MARS, the initiative is expected to provide targeted and credible education in responsible snacking, in addition to ideas for including more physical activity into everyday family life.

Federal Ministry appreciates initiative

Ursula Heinen-Esser (CDU), Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, confirmed the impetus to act in the Turkish community. "The Federal Ministry appreciates the initiative by MARS to contribute to clarification efforts and thus be part of the solution", said Heinen-Esser in Berlin. The State Secretary advocated the collaboration of MARS and the TDG and appealed to other companies and multipliers to join this exemplary commitment. "We have to bundle competencies in order to develop more effective approaches towards consumer information. This is also the focus of IN FORM – Germany's initiative for healthy nutrition and more physical activity." Ekin Deligöz (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Chairman of the Children Commission of the Federal Parliament, also embraced this venture. "This initiative brings together different stakeholders and areas of expertise in order to provide goal-oriented information about preventive healthcare and concrete suggestions. This is an important objective and an example that should be followed by many other institutions", praised this Member of Parliament.

The collaboration between MARS and the TDG will continue in 2009 and other projects are expected to follow.