Over 40 percent of American adults are pre-diabetic, a condition that is the forerunner to Type 2 diabetes, the life-threatening disease that impacts more than 23 million people in the U.S. Yet pre-diabetic Americans are generally unaware of their status and health risk.¹ Now, ConAgra Foods (NYSE: CAG), one of North America’s leading food makers, is shedding new light on the problem by sharing research that shows a specific type of healthier eating has a measurable impact on pre-diabetic conditions.

In research announced today at the 2009 annual meeting of the Obesity Society, a study of people who ate Healthy Choice meals as part of a healthy lifestyle significantly improved several risk factors associated with pre-diabetes. Participants in the 24-week study significantly lowered their blood glucose and insulin levels and experienced improvements in insulin sensitivity, a measure of how well the body uses insulin. Leading cardiologist Dr. James Rippe, founder and director of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute, led the research team that conducted the study.

“Healthier eating and becoming more physically active are keys to maintaining a healthy lifestyle which can delay and prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes, a disease that is on the rise in America and currently results in an economic burden estimated to at $132 billion annually,” Rippe said. “These findings are important because they show in a long-term study that Healthy Choice products offer the convenience and nutrition people are seeking to help them promote an improved state of wellness.”

In the study, men and women with health conditions common to many Americans and characteristic of pre-diabetes, such as being overweight and sedentary, followed a plan centered around eating Healthy Choice products every day. Overall portion and calorie control, plus moderate exercise, were emphasized, along with choosing other foods consistent with healthy eating such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and, lean meat.

“These findings are consistent with the results of the large, federally funded Diabetes Prevention Program,” Rippe said. “Our study showed a user-friendly, practical way for individuals at risk for diabetes to significantly lower that risk.”

Participants also became more physically active during the study by starting a simple walking program beginning with 15 minutes three days per week and progressing to 45 minutes four days per week. A control group followed the physical activity program without making changes in their food choices. The group that used Healthy Choice products showed significant improvements compared to the control group for blood glucose and insulin levels and also had a positive change in insulin sensitivity. Insulin is the key hormone the human body uses to regulate blood sugar levels.

“All of this is quite logical, but the trick is making eating healthier more enjoyable and easy,” said Mark Andon, Ph.D., vice president of Nutrition, ConAgra Foods. “Consumers know it’s important to eat right to maintain good health. But the food needs to taste good, and, for many people, it needs to be convenient. We do the work, making food that Americans can easily enjoy in adopting a healthier lifestyle—Healthy Choice meals combine taste, convenience, positive nutrition, and portion control so there’s no tradeoff between eating well and being well.”

About Healthy Choice

Healthy Choice products are made from premium ingredients and prepared with an emphasis on high-impact nutrition and flavor. Brands with “healthy” in their name are held to a higher nutrition standard set by the FDA. Healthy Choice is the only major brand in its category that can call 100 percent of its products “healthy,” as defined by the FDA. Previous research has shown that Healthy Choice meals are lower in calories, saturated fat and sodium compared to a typical American meal, potentially preventing Americans’ consumption of billions of calories and tons of salt and saturated fat over the past 20 years. For more information about Healthy Choice, visit www.healthychoice.com.

About the Rippe Institute

Founded by James M. Rippe, M.D., Rippe Lifestyle Institute is one of the leading research, communication and health promotion organizations in the world. Through research, publishing and partnering in health promotion and disease prevention projects, the various divisions and two locations of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute are helping empower people to lead healthier lifestyles with the passion, commitment and performance that have made Rippe Lifestyle Institute a leading authority on lifestyle and health. For more information, please visit us at www.rippehealth.com.

About ConAgra Foods

ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America’s leading food companies, making the food found in 97 percent of America’s households. Consumers choose Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt’s, Marie Callender’s, Orville Redenbacher’s, PAM, Peter Pan, Reddi-wip and many other ConAgra Foods brands in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise, and club stores. ConAgra Foods also has a strong business-to-business presence, supplying potato, other vegetable, spice and grain products to a variety of well-known restaurants, foodservice operators and commercial customers. For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.

1. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 40 percent of adults in the United States has pre-diabetes, but is generally unaware of the condition.

Research note: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in adults – United States, 1990-2000, MMWR Morb. Mortal Wkly Rep. 2003;52;833-837.