Nickelodeon Debuts Second of On-Air PSA Series Focusing on Importance of Breakfast

Nickelodeon Debuts Second of On-Air PSA Series Focusing on Importance of Breakfast

Spot Follows Up to Net's Research Findings about Kids' Eating Behaviors and Food Choices: Only 50% of Kids Report Eating Breakfast Everyday; 74% Choose What They Eat for Breakfast All or Most of the Time; Only 39% of Kids Eat Three Meals a Day Everyday

NEW YORK, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon unveils the second of its PSA on-air series which focuses on the importance of breakfast. The spot, entitled "It's Breakfast Time," animated by Klasky Csupo (Rugrats), is based on research findings that Nickelodeon released this summer, and features animated utensils rhyming and singing about breakfast foods as needed sources of energy for the start of the day. To view the spot, visit: http://www.cbiapprove.com/ (password: breakfast). Hard copies of the breakfast-themed PSAs and artwork are available upon request.

"Kids are smart and we have learned over the years that if you empower them with information they will act on it," said Cyma Zarghami, president, Nickelodeon Television. "Kids are skipping breakfast; if we can get them to think twice about eating something before school then we've done our job."

Nickelodeon developed the breakfast PSAs as a result of a research study, which found that kids today have great leeway in deciding when and what they will eat throughout the day; only half of them report eating breakfast everyday. The Kids, Food and Eating Behaviors Study reflects data from kids and parents on attitudes and behaviors which affect food choices and eating among kids 6-14. Additional findings include:

-- There is a disconnect between kids and parents when it comes to eating behavior. Kids report having greater freedom over their eating behaviors than their parents report. -- 68% of parents say their kids regularly eat breakfast; only 50% of kids say they regularly eat breakfast. -- 44% of kids say they choose what they eat for breakfast all the time; 31% of parents say their kids regularly choose what they eat for breakfast. -- Kids who skip meals have significantly higher body mass indexes (BMI) than kids who eat breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday.

The first of the PSA series focuses on the importance of starting the day by eating a balanced breakfast. Entitled "The Day the Earth Skipped Breakfast", the spot addresses how eating breakfast provides energy and fuels muscles; but skipping breakfast leads to bad temperaments and sluggish behavior. Both "The Day the Earth Skipped Breakfast" and "It's Breakfast Time" will run on Nickelodeon throughout the remainder of the year.

About the Research*

The Kids, Food and Eating Behaviors Study was designed to provide information on attitudes and behaviors affecting food choices and eating among kids 6-14. The study is nationally representative of kids 6-14 and parents of kids in this age group. Specific details of methodology are available upon request.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, currently in its 26th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in 89 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than ten consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

* The Kids, Food and Eating Behaviors Study was designed by staff at Nickelodeon and Cogent Research, and was conducted between May 28, 2004 and August 15, 2004.

Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326, or joanna.roses@nick.com; or Nancy Hostler, +1-212-846-7491, or nancy.hostler@nick.com

Web site: http://www.nick.com/ http://www.cbiapprove.com/

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