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New survey shows 50-year-olds feel younger, believe best years are yet to come

Cheerios' "The Real 50" report reveals the state of 50-year-old Americans in 2010

According to a recent survey completed by Cheerios® 50 is the new 40 -- or younger. Americans celebrating the iconic birthday this year aren't stressed or sad about turning 50; they're looking forward to what the future holds.

Cheerios conducted "The Real 50" survey to find out how 50-year-old Americans feel about their age, health and the next phase of their lives. Key findings from the report uncover this group feels youthful at 50, but recognizes health should be a priority in the years ahead.

Age is Just a Number
Seventy-seven percent of today's 50-year-olds feel younger than they thought they would at this age. In fact, nearly 45 percent say they feel 39 or younger. And despite the recent economic downtown, 56 percent believe they have it better than their parents did at this age.

While these Boomers feel youthful, they also recognize improving or maintaining their health is important for the future. Specifically:

• Nearly two in three report the decade ahead is one in which they'd love to improve their overall health.
• Close to 70 percent fear they'll be more consumed with the health of their hearts in the decade to come than the physical signs of aging such as wrinkles or gray hair.
• Almost half hope their 50th year will be the time they tackle a specific health or fitness goal, such as losing weight or lowering cholesterol.

"As younger Boomers enter their 50's, we wanted to see how they feel about this milestone birthday," said Jeff Hingher, brand marketing manager for Cheerios. "It's clear from the results that 50-year-olds feel far younger than their current age and are eager to make big changes in the coming years -- and they've noticed having a healthy heart is key to keeping this momentum going."

The Road Ahead
Of this group, almost 70 percent believe their best years haven't passed them by; they're yet to come. With their best days ahead of them, these Boomers are excited to continue focusing on what's important to them.

• Close to three in four of those who believe the best years lie ahead say the coming years are most appealing to them for chances to travel (74 percent) and spend time with their families (73 percent).
• Additionally, 60 percent say they'd like to take more time for leisure activities, such as attending concerts or movies, while 46 percent want to spend more time outdoors and 42 percent look forward to volunteering.

While age seems to be a mere state of mind for this group, they acknowledge the need to take care of themselves, particularly their hearts, to seize the days ahead.

As an incentive to stay healthy, Cheerios developed the "Do What You Love" sweepstakes. People who pledge to love their hearts can enter to win one of 10 prizes that allow them to travel, vacation with family, attend a red-carpet event and more. Cheerios wants to inspire Boomers to become caretakers of their hearts because no matter what they love to do, they'll need a healthy heart to do it.

Enjoying Cheerios is a simple way to help maintain a healthy heart because the cereal is made with 100 percent whole grain oats which can help lower cholesterol(1).

To learn more about Cheerios and the "Do What You Love" sweepstakes, please visit Cheerios.com/love.

About Cheerios®
Cheerios®, America's No. 1 cereal, debuted in 1941 as Cheerioats. The nation's first ready-to-eat oat cereal has since become one of the most trusted and recognized brands in America. In fact, one of every eight boxes of cereal sold in America is a box of Cheerios. General Mills' popular franchise includes Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, MultiGrain Cheerios, Berry Burst Cheerios, Fruity Cheerios, Cheerios Crunch, Yogurt Burst Cheerios, Banana Nut Cheerios and Chocolate Cheerios. For more information, go to www.cheerios.com.

About General Mills
One of the world's leading food companies, General Mills operates in more than 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Yoplait, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2010 global net sales of US$16 billion, including the company's $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales.

About "The Real 50" Report
The Cheerios "Real 50" report was conducted by Kelton Research on behalf of Cheerios August 23-30, 2010 using an email invitation and online survey. A total of 1,059 Americans born in 1960 completed the survey. Of the respondents who completed the survey, 530 were 49 years-old and 529 were 50 years-old. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results.

(1) Three grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Cheerios(R) cereal, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Cheerios cereal provides 1 gram per serving.

For more information, contact:

Lisa Tomassen
General Mills
763-293-2761
lisa.tomassen@genmills.com

OR

Jennifer Davis
GolinHarris
312-729-4248
jdavis@golinharris.com