NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AREA 23, an IPG
Health company, has launched the multi-platform campaign,
"Lil Sugar," in
collaboration with the New
York-based, global non-profit organization, Hip Hop Public
Health (HHPH) to raise awareness about the hidden sugars in
many of the foods we eat. A leader in health education and
advocacy, Hip Hop Public Health is dedicated to fusing art, music
and science to educate and empower youth regarding vital health
topics, including obesity, stroke, hypertension and related
conditions; and, most recently, COVID-19.
As recent data show, the already alarming disparities in obesity
rates among children ages two through 17 have increased since the
onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, likely due to a combination of
factors such as school closings, shutdowns of organized youth
sports, and limited after-school activities, coupled with
challenges in accessing fresh nutritious foods, and increased
consumption of comfort foods that contain excessive amounts of fat
and sugar. As a result, the pandemic has accelerated
childhood obesity, putting young people at a higher risk for type 2
diabetes and other health issues. "Lil
Sugar" aims to improve nutrition literacy and shed light on
the many sugars that are lurking in the foods we eat.
The campaign centers around the character "Lil Sugar" – a cunning sugar cube and master of
disguise whose primary goal is to ensure that no one recognizes who
or what it truly is or where it's hiding until it's too late.
Lil Sugar is introduced in an
original song and animated hip-hop music video that features
Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of RUN DMC as the voice of
Lil Sugar. As a hip-hop legend,
community advocate, and health enthusiast, DMC uses hard-hitting
raps and unapologetic swagger to reveal Lil
Sugar's sinister strategy of stealthily making his way into
various foods that children and families eat.
"Health advocacy is a passion of mine, and music is the ultimate
form of expression when it comes to sharing important health
information within our communities," says Darryl DMC McDaniels. "I
am honored to lend my voice to represent Lil Sugar and hope that we will inspire young
people everywhere to make conscious decisions about nutrition and
their well-being."
"We wanted to create a character like Lil Sugar that would resonate with both parents
and children and educate them on the harmful effects of consuming
too much sugar," said Tim
Hawkey, CCO of AREA 23. "Working with a legend like DMC
enables the campaign to reach key audiences, particularly those in
communities that have been economically/socially marginalized, and
to do so in a fun and engaging way."
In addition to the song and music video, the campaign includes
an accompanying website, an interactive app, and is the subject of
an engaging and colorful companion children's book, Lil Sugar Master of Disguise, with a
foreword by Dr. Olajide
Williams, Founder of Hip Hop Public Health, Associate
Dean of Community Research and Engagement and tenured Professor of
Neurology at Columbia University, and
Chief of Staff of the Department of Neurology at NewYork
Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving
Medical Center.
There are currently at least 150 different names for sugar in
74% of packaged goods in the U.S., and most people cannot
distinguish them which makes the need for education even more
critical. Childhood obesity rates continue to rise and cause an
increased risk for serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart
disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and COVID-19. Black and Brown
communities in particular are facing disproportionately higher
rates of these illnesses. These disparities exist for a variety of
reasons including lack of access to healthy affordable foods (food
deserts), the myriad effects of systemic and historic racism,
access to health care, lower levels of health literacy and other
social determinants of health.
"Childhood obesity continues to be one of the most pressing
health issues facing young people and COVID-19 has magnified it,"
says Dr. Williams. "The goal of Lil
Sugar is to arm parents, children, educators and the general
public with the tools they need to be aware of and take action
against the harmful consequences of consuming too much sugar. We
look forward to continuing this campaign and working with a variety
of partners to spread the word about Lil
Sugar."
To learn more about "Lil Sugar,"
please visit https://hhph.org/lilsugar
The collaborative team behind the creation and launch of
Lil Sugar includes AREA 23, an IPG
Health Company, Hip Hop Public Health, Zombie, Canja, Blurred
Vision Entertainment, BizSys, Asteroide, Produceria, Darryl DMC
McDaniels, and Finn Partners.
About Hip Hop Public Health
Hip Hop Public
Health (HHPH) is an internationally recognized non-profit
organization that creates and implements multimedia public health
and education interventions designed to improve health literacy,
inspire behavior change and promote health equity. Based in
New York City, HHPH was founded in
Harlem in 2006 with the mission to empower youth and families
around the globe with the knowledge and skills to make healthier
choices, reducing preventable health conditions. Through a
research-driven developmental framework created by Columbia University Neurologist Dr. Olajide Williams (a.k.a. the "Hip Hop Doc") and
the legendary Doug E. Fresh, Hip Hop
Public Health works with socially conscious artists and public
health experts to create scalable, highly engaging, culturally
relevant music and multimedia "edutainment" tools. All HHPH music,
videos, comic books, and guidance documents are available for free
and can be accessed on its online resource repository. Learn more
at hhph.org or follow on social at @hhphorg
About IPG Health
Home to FCB Health and McCann Health
agencies, IPG Health Network is a global collective of the world's
most celebrated and awarded healthcare marketing agencies. We are
5,000+ people across six continents, all singularly focused on
accelerating progress in health for good and for all. With science,
creativity, technology and data at our core, IPG Health makes
science approachable, understandable and actionable. With 45+
agencies, including 18+ specialized units, our integrated approach
to a broad range of communications capabilities ensures we can help
clients improve outcomes and quality of life for healthcare
audiences around the world. IPG Health is part of the Interpublic
Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). Visit ipghealth.com to
learn more.
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SOURCE Hip Hop Public Health