Smart Start Kit for Healthy Hearts

Kellogg develops user-friendly kit to increase heart health awareness.

By
Joanna Cosgrove
Online Editor

Last year the Kellogg Company, Battle Creek, MI, announced it would embark on a major health initiative aimed squarely at tackling the national epidemic of heart disease in women. First, the company launched Smart Start Healthy Heart ready-to-eat cereals and bars formulated with soluble oat bran fiber to help lower both blood pressure and cholesterol. The company’s most recent tool in the fight against heart disease is the Smart Start Healthy Heart Kit, a tool that affords consumers the opportunity to learn both their cholesterol and blood pressure numbers—two key indicators of heart disease.

"Too few women actually know their cholesterol and blood pressure measures, whether it's because they are afraid of what they might find or because they simply haven't taken the time to go to their doctor's office to be tested," said Dr. Annabelle Volgman, a cardiologist from Rush University Medical Center who partnered with Kellogg Company to help increase awareness of heart disease among women.

“High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two key indicators for heart disease risk, so it’s very important that women know their numbers so they can take the steps necessary to address any problems early,” added Kellogg’s Todd Smith, senior brand manager. “By offering women a kit to test blood pressure and cholesterol in the comfort of their own homes, Smart Start cereal hopes to persuade more women to learn these important numbers.”

Valued at $25, the kit includes one mail-in cholesterol test from BIOSAFE Laboratories, Chicago, IL, and a $10 mail-in rebate for select in-home blood pressure monitors from Omron Healthcare, Bannockburn, IL. The kit is free by mail with the purchase of any three specially marked boxes of Smart Start cereal or bars. The kit was also was made available on www.amazon.com/smartstart last month, allowing consumers to purchase the cereal online and receive the kit with their shipment. The kit will be available now through April 15, 2008, or while supplies last.

The finger-prick cholesterol test comes with easy-to-follow instructions, as well as a pre-addressed and pre-paid mailing envelope in which to mail the test for analysis. Laboratory results are mailed back within three working days of test receipt. For $10 consumers can receive a report on their total cholesterol. For $15 consumers will receive a full cholesterol panel, including an analysis of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides. The cholesterol tests are processed by BIOSAFE Laboratories, which also happens to be the only laboratory in the world that has achieved both National Cholesterol Education Program Certification and FDA approval for consumer use of a cholesterol panel.

The $10 mail-in rebate can be redeemed for select Omron IntelliSense automatic blood pressure monitors sold at retail pharmacies, grocery stores and mass merchandisers. Omron blood pressure monitors are priced around $40, depending on the model and features.

When asked about the possibility of adding other heart-healthy items to future kits, such as plant sterol capsules for lowering cholesterol or omega 3 fatty acid capsules for blood pressure, Mr. Smith said the company is not currently planning any additional versions of the Smart Start Healthy Heart Kit. “Our focus is on helping women understand the importance of learning their blood pressure and cholesterol measures by providing them with the tools to become better informed about their own heart health,” he said. “We also encourage women to speak with their physicians if they have issues with high blood pressure or cholesterol to determine how best to manage these conditions.”