Today, Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) wrapped up its Building a Healthier America Summit in Washington, D.C., where public health advocates, members of the food and beverage industry and First Lady Michelle Obama stressed the importance of public-private partnerships to combat the challenge of childhood obesity.

At today’s plenary session, industry executives talked about how their companies are developing new and innovative products to meet consumer demand for better-for-you and more low-calorie choices.

Our industry agrees with the First Lady that we accomplish much more faster by working together to help reduce obesity rates.   After all, our industry has a long record of working with thought leaders on meaningful solutions to societal challenges such as obesity.

The beverage industry was among the first to support First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, which encourages children to be active and balance their diets, by placing clear calorie labels on the front of every can, bottle and pack we produce.  And through the Calories Count™ Beverage Vending Program, consumers can “Check Then Choose” the calories in their beverages and make the choice that’s right for them.

Joining with President Clinton and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, we changed the school beverage landscape by removing full-calorie soft drinks from schools and replacing them with a range of lower-calorie and smaller-portion options. That led to a 90 percent reduction in beverage calories in schools nationwide.  And through our Balance Calories Initiative, we are once again working with the Alliance and have set a goal to reduce beverage calories per person by 20 percent by 2025. This initiative is the single-largest voluntary effort by an industry to help fight obesity.

These are efforts that have real and lasting impact on communities across the nation.  To learn more about how we are supporting and empowering consumers, check out DeliveringChoices.org.