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TummyFish Mobile App & Story Book for Children To Drink More Water

• 161K app downloads with close to 2 million sessions played 

• 79% of kids who have used the app have tracked an increase in the amount of water consumed

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

With an objective to encourage children aged 4-6 to drink water more regularly as part of United for Healthier Kids, TummyFish mobile app and story book has been making waves across the region with over 161,000 downloads across eleven countries since its launch in October 2016. The interactive App available in both English and Arabic, rewards children by allowing them to unlock games after crossing various obstacles. So far, close to 2 million sessions of the games have been played.

“As part of our nutrition commitments to society, we at Nestlé Middle East want to promote healthy diets and lifestyles through initiatives such as United for Healthier Kids. Tummyfish Book and App have had quite a positive influence on parents and children across the Middle East. It gives us immense pleasure to note that 79% of kids who have used the app have tracked an increase in the amount of water consumed”, said Patricia El Chammas, Manager of United for Healthier Kids at Nestlé Middle East.

Endorsed by Dubai Health Authority, Tummy Fish book-reading sessions are now taking part across select schools in UAE forming a vital component of the holistic education and support provided to students and promoting the adoption of a healthier lifestyle. So far, four schools have come onboard to actively engage their 4-6-year-old pupils, their parents and teachers with the Arabic book and App in the current academic year, reaching out to over 400 KG students.

The collaboration between DHA and Nestlé Middle East goes a long way in promoting healthy diets and lifestyles, with specific focus on children. United for Healthier Kids will help educate the little ones on the importance of drinking water at a national level in multiple schools.

“It has been our endeavor to inspire change through the power of scientific evidence, creativity and of course, a lot of fun! It is encouraging to see that the Tummyfish app and book have received great responses from kids and parents alike in the UAE, and we are now all set to release the application globally in 2017,” added El Chammas.

Providing access to a “Virtual Pet”, the Tummyfish app is home to a fish appearing to swim in a child’s belly which gets happier and more vigorous with increased water consumption, and sad and slow when it needs water to regain full energy.

Capitalizing on the generosity of the Arab culture, United for Healthier Kids seeks to offer MORE, calling for the promotion of MORE Movement; MORE Water; MORE Fruits & Vegetables; and MORE Managed Portions – behaviors scientifically proven to positively impact quality of life throughout, if adopted at an early age.

About United for Healthier Kids:

United for Healthier Kids (U4HK) is a pioneering, comprehensive and science-based program developed by Nestlé and built on partnerships among various entities with the aim of nurturing healthier generations. In the Middle East, United for Healthier Kids is launched in partnership with MBC Al Amal and the Arabian Radio Network to help parents establish healthier eating, drinking and lifestyle habits for children aged 4-12.

Through nutritional science and a deep understanding of the region’s parents and kids, Nestlé identified four behaviors that need to be brought into the everyday routines of children to ensure a healthier lifestyle: MORE Movement, MORE Water, MORE Fruits & Vegetables, and MORE Managed Portions.

To help parents to encourage their kids to drink MORE Water, United for Healthier Kids created a platform, Tummyfish mobile app that acts as a support for parents to ensure their kids lead a healthier lifestyle by drinking more water and less unhealthy drinks.

You can join the movement on www.U4HK-me.com, www.MBC.net/U4HK, Facebook.com/U4HKme, or Instagram: @U4HKme.

United for Healthier Kids invites everybody to unite for healthier kids, by becoming a member of the movement and signing up at www.U4HK-me.com.The website provides a wealth of tips and fun ideas to make adopting a healthy lifestyle enjoyable and easy for parents and kids.

People can also join the movement on Facebook.comU4HKme, or Instagram: @U4HKme.

More on United for Healthier Kids focus areas:

More Movement: Being active is not only important for health, but for children to develop their motor skills, decision-making, attention and teamwork abilities. Regular physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle where any amount and any type of exercise are better than none.

More Water: Water is best for calorie-free hydration and controlling the body’s temperature – and is especially important for children who are physically active or live in hot climates. Parents should encourage children to drink adequate amounts of water.

More Fruits & Vegetables: Children should be encouraged to have a varied, nutrient-rich diet based on the different food groups. The United for Healthier Kids program emphasizes variety such as offering vegetables and fruits as snacks, in side dishes and incorporated into main meals.

More Managed Portions: Helping children select the right amount of food, in the correct proportions, instills healthier eating habits. United for Healthier Kids communicates age-appropriate portions to parents.

References:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/

 

For more information, please contact:

Lynn Al Khatib
Media Relations Manager, Nestlé Middle East
Email: [email protected]

Rima Taha
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: +971 (0) 4 4507 616
Email: [email protected]