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John Hancock Insurance Teams Up With Chef Tom Colicchio to Show Consumers How Healthy Food Choices Can Lead to Financial Rewards

T.MFC | April 6, 2016

Chef and star of Bravo's "Top Chef" highlights how an apple a day keeps the grocery bill and life insurance premiums at bay at the John Hancock Vitality Marketplace

BOSTON, April 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Apples, almonds and asparagus: three things that seem unrelated to life insurance, until today. Now people can be rewarded for purchasing healthy foods at more than 16,000 grocery stores through the Vitality HealthyFood^TM program, an expansion of John Hancock's game-changing life insurance with Vitality that rewards policyholders for healthy living. Demonstrating how life insurance and healthy eating can work together, John Hancock has partnered with renowned chef Tom Colicchio, restaurateur and head judge on Bravo's "Top Chef." No stranger to the kitchen, both on TV and at home, Chef Colicchio knows the impact that small, healthy choices – like what we eat – can have on a long and healthy life.

The new HealthyFood program empowers people to make nutritious choices every day by rewarding them with savings of up to $600 annually on healthy food purchases, as well as program points that can lead to immediate rewards and additional savings of up to 15 percent on annual life insurance premiums.

"I have always been an advocate for easy ways to eat healthier, and I'm excited that now you can be rewarded for those little changes – beyond just nutritional value – through the HealthyFood program," said Chef Tom Colicchio. "It's really important as we think about all the ways, both physically and financially, to motivate ourselves and our families to live long and healthy lives."

Chef Colicchio's father played a major role in his life and encouraged him at a young age to pursue his love of cooking. Because he lost his father when he was just beginning his culinary career, life insurance has personal significance for the chef. It gave his mother peace of mind and ensured the family would be protected financially, something that has stuck with him now that he has a family of his own.

At home with his family and in his restaurant kitchens, Chef Colicchio focuses on incorporating seasonal fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish and whole grains into his dishes. Now through his partnership with John Hancock's HealthyFood program, he's showing people how making small changes in their eating habits can have a big effect on their overall health and well-being – both physical and financial.

HealthyFood Program: How it Works

John Hancock life insurance with Vitality rewards policyholders for the smarter choices they make every day to improve their health – like seeing the doctor, getting their flu shot and, now, purchasing healthy foods.

"Fitness without good nutrition is not nearly as impactful on your health as when you combine the two," said Michael Doughty, president, John Hancock Insurance. "With the addition of the HealthyFood program, we're giving people the recipe for healthy living so they can be rewarded for simple activities like walking a few more steps and making healthy food choices."

There is strong evidence that a nutritious diet is one of the most critical components to living a long and healthy life. In the U.S., poor diet accounts for one out of four deaths (26%) or nearly 700,000 deaths each year.[i] Adopting a healthy diet and active lifestyle can help many Americans take control of their health and prevent heart disease and other chronic conditions. But with so many choices in the grocery store, shopping for healthy foods can be overwhelming. That's why the John Hancock Vitality HealthyFood program adheres to recommended nutritional guidelines to help you feel confident about the food you're putting in your cart.

Through the HealthyFood program, policyholders can see significant savings on healthy food purchases at more than 16,000 participating stores nationwide, including Walmart and other major grocery chains in the NutriSavings network -- a complete list of included grocery stores can be viewed at http://www.nutrisavings.com/all-retailers/. Policyholders also gain nutritional information to help them adopt healthier eating habits through a new collaboration with the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

Bringing the HealthyFood Program to Life

The HealthyFood program is coming to life on April 6 in New York's Grand Central Terminal with the interactive John Hancock Vitality Marketplace. Visitors will be able to enjoy delicious healthy food samples and test their knowledge while earning rewards for the healthy choices they make. Chef Tom Colicchio will stop by to serve up some tasty and nutritious dishes and show visitors how to navigate healthy options when they're at the grocery store.

To learn more about John Hancock life insurance with Vitality, and for tips on how to live a healthier life, visit JHRewardsLife.com. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with #RewardingLife.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife

John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, our group of companies offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were C$935 billion (US$676 billion) as at December 31, 2015. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife can be found on the Internet at manulife.com. The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

About Vitality

The Vitality Group is a member of Discovery Ltd., a global financial services organization offering an incentive-based wellness program to employers as part of their benefits program. With a foundation based on actuarial science and behavioral economic theory, Vitality encourages changes in lifestyle that reduce health care costs, both in the short run and long term, by rewarding members for addressing their specific health issues. Vitality wellness programs serve companies in a wide range of sizes and industries, improving individuals' health and well-being as well as employers' bottom lines.

Vitality brings a global perspective through successful partnerships with large employers and best-in- class insurers around the world, in countries including the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, China, Singapore and Australia. Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/VitalityUSA.

Insurance products are issued by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), Boston, MA 02117 (not licensed in New York) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York, Valhalla, NY 10595.

Vitality is the provider of the John Hancock Vitality Program in connection with policies issued by John Hancock.

Insurance policies and/or associated riders and features may not be available in all states. The John Hancock Vitality Program is available with select John Hancock policies. Please consult your financial representative as to product availability.

Premium savings are in comparison to the same John Hancock policy without the Vitality program. Annual premium savings will vary based upon policy type, the terms of the policy, and the level of participation in the John Hancock Vitality program Please consult your financial representative as to how premium savings may affect the policy you purchase.

John Hancock Vitality Program rewards and discounts are only available to the person insured under the eligible life insurance policy.

The HealthyFood benefit is available for qualifying purchases during the first Program Year regardless of Vitality Status. In subsequent program years, the benefit will only be available if the policyholder has achieved Gold or Platinum Status. However, policyholders will continue to accumulate Vitality Points for their healthy food purchases no matter what their Vitality Status.

Rewards may vary based on the type of insurance policy purchased for the insured (Vitality Program Member), the ownership and inforce status of the insurance policy, and the state where the insurance policy was issued. Rewards and discounts are subject to change and are not guaranteed to remain the same for the life of the policy.
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[i] Murray CJ, Atkinson C, Bhalla K et al. (2013) The state of US health, 1990-2010: burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors. JAMA 310(6):591-608.