NFL star and UN food agency team up to score touchdown against world hunger

National Football League star Reggie Bush and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have partnered up to raise awareness in the United States about global hunger.

Mr. Bush, a running back in his rookie year for the New Orleans Saints, appears in a new televised Public Service Announcement and print advertisement in which he cooks his perfect meal: “pigskin,” or a US football, on a plate.

The spot, targeted at raising awareness of global hunger across the United States, ends with the proclamation, “Unfortunately, not everyone can live off football – help those who can’t.”

“These days, more people are worried about their waistlines than the problem of global hunger,” said WFP Director of Communications Neil Gallagher.

Worldwide, there more than 800 million people – more than the combined populations of the United States and the countries of the European Union – who are hungry. Children account for half of all deaths, approximately 25,000 daily, attributed to hunger and hunger-related causes.

“I want to do whatever I can do to help,” Mr. Bush announced. “It’s surprising but there are more hungry kids in the world than ever before. They need our help.”

The television ad uses music by the Rolling Stones who performed at the halftime show of the 2006 Super Bowl, the pinnacle of US football. The band has given the WFP the rights to use one of their songs.