Push-Ups for PKU Challenge, 2021!

Raise Awareness for PKU this May

Nutricia North America is proud to support PKU Awareness Month this May by sponsoring a Push-Ups for PKU Challenge!

From May 1 to 31, Nutricia will donate $10 for each video you post on Facebook or Instagram of you doing (or trying to do!) at least 5 push-ups. The donations will go to PKU News, the creators of How Much PHE, a critical PKU community support organization. Nutricia will donate up to $3,000 total.

How to Participate in the Push-Ups for PKU Challenge

Post your video on Facebook or Instagram, and tag your video with #PushUps4PKU and #NutriciaConnect to be counted. You don’t have to be a pro – just try your best, have fun, and let’s raise awareness of PKU together while benefitting How Much PHE!

Share this page with others to encourage them to join the challenge, and share this information to help spread greater awareness of PKU.

What is PKU?

Phenylketonuria, or PKU, is a rare genetic disorder that a child inherits from both parents. For a child to be born with PKU, both parents must either be carriers of PKU or have PKU themselves.

PKU occurs due to a defect in the gene that helps make the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), which in turn interferes with a person’s ability to metabolize, or process, the amino acid phenylalanine (PHE). Amino acids, like PHE, are the building blocks of protein found in food and the human body. Consuming too much PHE from food can lead to a toxic build-up of PHE in the blood and brain of a person with PKU.

Without management, this build-up of PHE will cause brain damage. Presently, there is no cure for PKU, but it can be managed effectively with proper diet and special nutritional products designed for people with PKU.

PKU and Fitness: Push-Ups and Beyond

Participating in sports and fitness provides multiple benefits for health and wellbeing—and this holds true for many people with inherited metabolic disorders, such as PKU.

Plenty of members of the PKU community run races, dance, and play team sports to stay fit. As just one example, James, a college student with PKU, plays club soccer. Read our interview with him here.

Talk with your metabolic healthcare team about which sports and fitness activities may be good for you or your loved one. Your dietitian will take the type, intensity, and duration of exercise into account and advise you on your needs.

Nutricia encourages staying healthy & active, following your metabolic team’s guidance about diet and formula – and most importantly, let’s all have fun doing Push-Ups for PKU this May! Post your video on Facebook or Instagram, and tag your video with #PushUps4PKU and #NutriciaConnect to be counted. Let’s raise PKU awareness together!

Details:

Nutricia does not assume and it hereby expressly disclaims any and all liability to any person or entity for any claims, damages, liability or other loss in connection with this event. In no event shall Nutricia be liable to any person or entity for any direct, special, exemplary, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages of any kind or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, any liability for injury or other damage related in any way to participation in this event directly or indirectly) whether in an action based on contract, warranty, strict liability, tort (including, without limitation, negligence) or otherwise, even if Nutricia has been informed in advance of the possibility of such damages or such damages could have been reasonably foreseen by Nutricia. Nutricia will cap the donation to a maximum of 300 videos during this time period or up to $3000.

Brought to you by Nutricia North America.

Always consult your metabolic healthcare team prior to making any changes to PKU diet or condition management.

© Nutricia North America 2021