SUBWAY Restaurants help kids and families maintain a healthy weight.

SUBWAY Restaurants and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a partnership in support of the We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) education program. The partnership was launched at a National PEP (Play More, Eat Right and Push Away the Screen) Rally at the D.C. Armory on Wednesday, March 25. The event featured hundreds of kids, parents, and teachers, along with renowned athletes Laila Ali and Tab Ramos, SUBWAY Restaurants spokesman Jared Fogle, and NIH Acting Director Raynard S. Kington, M.D.

The PEP rally got kids moving and taught them about the importance of energy balance and maintaining a healthy weight. The event featured fun activities and resources based on the NIH’s We Can! science-based education program, a fast-growing national movement of families and communities coming together to promote healthy weight in children ages 8 through 13 through improved food choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time.

Joined by champion athlete Laila Ali and Olympic soccer player Tab Ramos was SUBWAY Restaurant’s Jared Fogle who helped host the PEP Rally, which was attended by more than 300 elementary and middle school students who participated in popular and educational games like basketball, soccer, and Energy In/Energy Out, a tag-like game that emphasizes the importance of energy balance for a healthy weight. With parents, teachers and We Can! Leaders cheering them on, students rotated through the games, enjoyed a SUBWAY Restaurants Fresh Fit for Kids™ meal for lunch and participated in an autograph-signing session with Fogle, Ali and Ramos. Participants were also asked to sign a “PEP Pledge,” agreeing to play more, eat right, and push away the screen.

“Getting kids to stay healthy and active is something I work on all year long and I am constantly on the road, going from school to school to reach out to children,” said Jared Fogle, SUBWAY spokesperson. “I’m proud to be here today to support the We Can! program on behalf of SUBWAY® Restaurants because my goal is to help children avoid the physical and emotional hardships I went through living with obesity.”