One Out of Three Adults Fall Off the 'Health and Wellness Wagon' While Eating on the Go

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Released today, a ZonePerfect(R) survey(1) conducted by Harris Interactive(R) found that nine out of ten U.S. adults eat meals or snacks on the go; six out of ten do so on a daily basis; and about a quarter (26 percent) do so two to three times daily.

ZonePerfect commissioned the survey to learn more about why American adults eat on the go and the effect it has on overall nutrition. Many American adults admitted to falling off the "health and wellness wagon," and a large proportion cited on-the-go activities (eating on the go, when traveling or dining out, when tempted by food at the office) as a reason. When lunch comes out of a vending machine and dinner is served through a drive-through window, nutritious choices can be limited.

"We understand that people don't always have the time to prepare a home- cooked meal from scratch," said Tobe Cohen, director, marketing, ZonePerfect at Ross. "When people are crunched for time, healthy food choices are often offset by empty-calorie meals and snacks. ZonePerfect makes eating healthy easy by providing all-natural, great-tasting and nutritious, portable options for on-the-go lifestyles."

To assist people who aspire to achieve a healthier lifestyle despite real- life challenges and time constraints, ZonePerfect has teamed up with healthy living advisor Carolyn O'Neil, registered dietitian and co-author of "The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!"

"The busier we are, the more important it is that we eat foods that give us the energy to fuel our bodies throughout each demanding day," said O'Neil. "At the same time, we need simple snack and meal-time solutions that fit our modern-day, multi-tasking lives. They need to taste great, be readily available or prepared in a matter of minutes."

O'Neil recommends simple tips to maintaining a healthy lifestyle in spite of a hectic schedule. Highlights include:

Nutrition On the Go -- According to the ZonePerfect survey, 90 percent of respondents indicated they eat meals or snacks on the go; 60 percent of adults indicated they do so on a daily basis.

  -- It's easy to develop a plan for healthy eating on the go by packing
     foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Pre-cut veggies, fresh fruit,
     cheese sticks, nuts and ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars are convenient
     options to grab for your briefcase, backpack or purse. One ZonePerfect
     Nutrition Bar contains more protein than two eggs, to give you the
     energy to keep you going, and more antioxidants (Vitamin C) than one
     half cup of strawberries, to help your cells rejuvenate from everyday
     activities.

A Treat That's Sweet -- Is a sweet tooth keeping you from healthy eating? Ninety-six percent of respondents indicated they fall off the "health and wellness wagon" in some way; 48 percent of adults indicated they do so when they're "craving something sweet."

  -- Fresh strawberries folded into low-fat or non-fat yogurt, apple slices
     slathered with a tablespoon of peanut butter or -- for chocolate
     lovers -- a delicious Chocolate Caramel Cluster ZonePerfect Nutrition
     Bar are nutritious, protein-packed options sure to satisfy your
     craving.

A Little Goes a Long Way -- When U.S. adults were asked how they would describe their approach to exercise, 42 percent indicated "taking the stairs instead of the elevator."

  -- Taking the stairs burns five times more calories than hopping on the
     elevator or escalator -- that's a small daily addition of physical
     activity that can truly make a difference in your health. Keep walking
     shoes in your car or at your office and fit in a lunchtime or mid-
     afternoon power walk, play with the kids, or take the dog for a nightly
     stroll.


  About ZonePerfect

ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars and Shakes are great-tasting and all-natural, based on a balanced 40/30/30 ratio of carbohydrate, protein and fat to give consumers the necessary energy to sustain their busy lifestyles. Each ZonePerfect Nutrition Bar contains 210 calories, 14-16 grams of protein and is a good source of 19 essential vitamins and minerals. Each ZonePerfect Shake contains 250 calories, 19 grams of protein and is an excellent source of 24 vitamins and minerals.

About Carolyn O'Neil

Carolyn O'Neil is a registered dietitian and journalist with more than 20 years of study and television reporting on food, nutrition and cuisine. With a master's degree in nutrition, O'Neil joined CNN in 1982 where she founded and developed the network's food and nutrition beat. She served as executive producer and senior correspondent for CNN's award-winning "On The Menu" program. She is a three-time James Beard Award-winning television food journalist. O'Neil recently co-authored the book "The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!" with Densie Webb, PhD, RD, published by Simon & Schuster Atria Books, June 2004.

Abbott's Ross Products Division

For years, Ross Products Division has been committed to helping people of all ages meet their nutritional needs. Abbott pioneered the market for adult nutritionals more than three decades ago, and today the healthy living family of nutrition brands includes Ensure(R), Glucerna(R), ZonePerfect(R), EAS(R), Body-for-LIFE(TM), AdvantEdge(R) and Myoplex(R). For more information about Abbott's Ross Products Division, visit http://ross.com/ .

About Abbott

Abbott (NYSE:ABT) is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 60,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's website at http://abbott.com/.

(1) Harris Interactive(R) fielded the study on behalf of ZonePerfect, sponsored by Abbott's Ross Products Division, in April 2005, via its QuickQuery(SM) online omnibus, interviewing a nationwide sample of 1,880 U.S. adults age 24 years and older. Data were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be online. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire population of U.S. adults age 24 years and older had been polled with complete accuracy. Sampling error for the various sub-sample results is higher and varies. This online sample is not a probability sample.

About Harris Interactive(R)

Harris Interactive Inc. ( http://www.harrisinteractive.com/ ), the 15th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester, NY-based global research company that blends premier strategic consulting with innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application. Known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering Internet-based research methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research to help its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.

Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital, databases and technology to advance market leadership through its U.S. offices and wholly owned subsidiaries, HI Europe in London ( http://www.hieurope.com/ ), Novatris in Paris ( http://www.novatris.com/ ), and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V.

Source: Abbott

CONTACT: Media, Carolyn Valek of Abbott, +1-614-624-7485, or Financial
Community, John B. Thomas, both for Abbott +1-847-938-2655

Web site: http://www.abbott.com/
http://www.novatris.com/
http://www.hieurope.com/
http://ross.com/