CRN launches collaborative program to educate consumers on dietary supplements

WASHINGTON The Council for Responsible Nutrition, creators of the consumer-wellness public relations campaign, “Life…supplemented,” on Thursday announced plans for the third consecutive year of the program upon meeting a budget goal of $1 million. The three-year, $3-million initiative encourages responsible use of dietary supplements in combination with other healthy habits, and urges consumers to assess their level of wellness by focusing on the three pillars of health: healthy diet, supplements and exercise.

“This is a collaborative program that demonstrates what an industry can do when companies work together to educate consumers who are looking for ways to take simple steps to improve their health,” stated CRN chairman Mark LeDoux. “I commend CRN for its ongoing leadership and especially thank those companies funding the program for their continued support. This program demonstrates that the industry has a commitment to urging consumers to take dietary supplements responsibly as one piece of a healthy lifestyle.”

Over the three-year campaign, 39 companies have financially supported the effort, with 25 funding companies currently signed on to support year three, including its five original Steering Committee members — NBTY, Pharmavite, Bayer HealthCare, BASF Corporation and DSM Nutritional Products.

This year, a sixth company, Wyeth Consumer Health, has increased its commitment to the Steering Committee level.

“The fact that companies continue to support ‘Life…supplemented’ year after year — particularly in this economic climate — shows that this is a sustainable campaign with responsible messages that companies can feel proud to support,” stated Judy Blatman, SVP communications, CRN, who oversees the program.

This announcement also marks the first major project coming out of the CRN Foundation, an educational affiliate of CRN. The Foundation was established earlier this year and will become the center of many of CRN’s educational activities and research projects supporting the supplement industry.

As part of the research sponsored by the “Life…Supplemented” campaign, a third annual “Life…supplemented” Healthcare Professionals Impact Study, which explores healthcare professionals’ recommendations for, and personal usage of, dietary supplements, will be supported.

This year’s study will look at registered dietitians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists. In previous years’ surveys, the campaign focused on U.S. physicians, nurses, OB/GYNs, cardiologists, dermatologists and orthopaedic specialists.

The campaign will also continue enhancements to its web site, http://lifesupplemented.org/, with emphasis on its free, interactive online tool, My Wellness Scorecard, a tool that provides consumers with a personalized wellness assessment.

The “Life…supplemented” campaign was recently awarded an honorable mention in the issue-specific web site category of the American Society of Association Executives’ 2009 Gold Circle Awards, an annual program recognizing excellence in communications. This marks the fourth award honoring the campaign, including a 2007-2008 Mercury Award win for “Web site: Health Awareness”.

“Supplement companies want to educate and celebrate the more than 150 million Americans who take their products each year; that is evident from the level of support from our funding companies and their enthusiasm for continuing the campaign,” said Judy Blatman, SVP communications for Council for Responsible Nutrition.