Photo: Nancy O'Dell and Yoplait Pair Up to Educate Families on the Basics of Better...

Photo: Nancy O'Dell and Yoplait Pair Up to Educate Families on the Basics of
Better Bone Health
O'Dell Promotes the Importance of Calcium and Vitamin D in Your Daily Diet



MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Nancy O'Dell, co-anchor of Access
Hollywood, celebrity mom and author of the new parenting book Full of Life /
Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Pregnant, recognizes the
importance of building and maintaining strong, healthy bones through a diet
rich in calcium and vitamin D. Along with milk and cheese, enjoying a creamy
cup of yogurt such as Yoplait(R) - the only leading brand of yogurt containing
calcium and vitamin D in every serving - is a good way to help children and
adults get the recommended amount of these two important bone nutrients.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/yoplait/39966/

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090908/NY71386 )

"After my recent knee injury I recognize the importance of a proper diet and
exercise to help me get back on my feet," said O'Dell. "My family and I eat
healthy foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, to help build and maintain strong
bones. Yoplait yogurt is a delicious and nutritious way to get both of these
essential nutrients throughout the day."

As part of the program, O'Dell and Yoplait will provide personal diet and
fitness advice featured on Yoplait's new Facebook page,
www.facebook.com/Yoplait. The tips will demonstrate how O'Dell and her family
build and maintain strong, healthy bodies.

Data reveals that adults are falling short on nutrients important for bone
health, with 76 percent of the population not getting enough vitamin D and 72
percent not getting enough calcium in their daily diet.*,** These statistics
reinforce the need for daily diets rich in calcium and vitamin D - vitamin D
is naturally present in very few foods (i.e., cod liver oil, fatty fish like
salmon and tuna, and in limited amounts in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks).
A report released in 2006 from the American Academy of Pediatrics found that
eating dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt during childhood and
adolescence may help build strong bones and reduce the risk of fractures and
osteoporosis later in life.*** Calcium and vitamin D work together to build
strong bones, with vitamin D aiding calcium absorption.

"Yoplait yogurt is the only leading brand of yogurt containing vitamin D and
calcium in every serving. These nutrients are important for bone health," said
Katherine Brooking, M.S., R.D., registered dietitian. "Based on recent
research, it is clear we need to do a better job of incorporating both vitamin
D and calcium into our own and our children's diets. Yoplait yogurt,
specifically its Original and Light varieties, provides an excellent source of
calcium for both adults and children. Yoplait offers a large variety of
flavors to help the whole family meet their dairy, vitamin D and calcium
needs."


Product Serving Size Vitamin D Calcium
(% DV) (% DV)

Yoplait(R) Original
99% Fat Free Fruit 6 oz 20 20

Yoplait(R) Light
Fruit Flavors 6 oz 20 20

Yoplait(R) Thick
and Creamy 6 oz 20 30

Yoplait(R) Light Thick
and Creamy Fruit Flavors 6 oz 20 20

Yoplait(R)
Whips!(TM) Flavors 4 oz 10 15

Yoplait(R)
Chocolate Whips!(TM) 4 oz 10 10

Yoplait(R)
Kids Yogurt 4 oz 10 20

Yoplait(R)
YoPlus Yogurt 4 oz 10 15

Yoplait(R)
FiberOne Yogurt 4 oz 15 10



About General Mills
One of the world's leading food companies, General Mills operates in over 100
countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios,
Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El
Paso, Progresso, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen and more. Headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., General Mills had fiscal 2009 global net sales
of US$15.9 billion, including the company's $1.2 billion proportionate share
of joint venture net sales. Visit www.generalmills.com.

* American Academy of Pediatrics, Clinical Report "Prevention of Rickets and
Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children and Adolescents," 2008
** National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2004
*** American Academy of Pediatrics, Optimizing bone health and calcium intakes
of infants, children, and adolescents, Pediatrics. 2006


SOURCE General Mills; Yoplait

Jodi Housman, Cone, +1-617-939-8384, jhousman@coneinc.com; or David Witt,
General Mills, +1-763-764-2487, david.witt@genmills.com








source:.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS127239+08-Sep-2009+PRN20090908