CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the American Heart Association, ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease. That's why The Quaker Oats Company, a division of PepsiCo, is encouraging women to take just five minutes a day to do something good for their hearts during American Heart Month through the "Nourish What Counts" campaign. To support heart disease awareness and elevate the importance of preventative lifestyle changes for women, "Nourish What Counts" provides simple, proactive steps to help women eat healthy, become more active, take the quick American Heart Association "My Life Check" risk assessment and join the Go Red For Women® movement.

Recent figures from the American Heart Association estimate that eight million women in the U.S. are living with heart disease, yet only one in six American women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat, representing a significant disconnect between women's beliefs about their heart health status – and reality. "With the growing incidence of heart disease, it's important now more than ever to help women make simple lifestyle changes," said Andrew Sutherland, Senior Director of Marketing, Quaker Foods & Snacks North America. "For more than a century, Quaker has been committed to nourishing America's families with heart-healthy whole grain oats, and we're proud to help raise awareness with the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement."

Throughout February, American Heart Month, QuakerOats.com will feature multiple ways people can start making changes in just five minutes. Nutrition tips, heart healthy recipes and exclusive fitness routines from Quaker Coach Bob Harper are also available. A sneak peek of tips includes:

• Eat heart healthy meals: You don't have to go on an extreme diet to be more heart-healthy. Replace some of the refined grains you eat with whole grains. Start making the change at breakfast by eating 100% whole grain Quaker Oatmeal. Three grams of soluble fiber daily from oatmeal, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Old Fashioned Quaker Oatmeal provides 2 grams per serving. Each serving of super grain Quaker Oatmeal helps provide energy plus fiber to fill you up and at least one serving of whole grains – a great first step towards meeting the recommended minimum of three daily servings of whole grains for overall good health.
• Increase your workout time: Take five minutes to post your favorite workout to Facebook or Twitter, and ask your social network to share their top picks in return. You'd be surprised what great workouts you can learn from your friends!

Experts cite lifestyle habits, like poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking as significant contributors to poor heart health among Americans. "While genetics play a role in everyone's individual heart health, there are many simple things you can do to change your routine to benefit your heart," said William H. Roach Jr., Chairman of the Board of the American Heart Association. "Over time, these changes could have a powerful effect on your life and your family. Partners like Quaker are so important because they help to extend our efforts to raise awareness and educate Americans about the importance of a heart-healthy lifestyle."

In addition to the "Nourish What Counts" campaign, Quaker is also proud to introduce new Quaker Whole Hearts Cereal. Lightly sweetened, crisp, heart-shaped bites of the oat and oat-bran cereal provide another tasty, heart-healthy breakfast option for the whole family. Quaker Whole Hearts will be available nationwide by March 2012.

About The Quaker Oats Company*
The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 130 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Holding No. 1 positions in their respective categories, Quaker Oats, Quaker Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com. Follow Quaker Oats on Facebook and Twitter.

About American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America's No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 22 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

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*This boilerplate is supplied by The Quaker Oats Company and is not subject to AHA input.

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