50 Million Pound Challenge

I was listening to a local DC smooth jazz station yesterday and I heard them announce the launch of the following challenge for African Americans. The challenge is for us to eradicate obesity hence, the name 50 million pound challenge. Upon further research from their website (50millionpoundchallenge.com), I am reprinting the following. Please pass the word...

Joining THE 50 MILLION POUND CHALLENGE means becoming part of something exciting, life-altering, historic, and tremendously beneficial! Not only for you, but to others in your family and community, as well as to future generations of African Americans.
Why Join?Participating in The Challenge is not just about shedding those extra pounds — though that is critical to your health and well-being.It’s about all of us coming together and looking out for each other as we work to take more control of our lives. It’s about taking the time to reach out and lock hands as we join forces to fight the very real risk that being overweight poses to ourselves, our families, and our community.
The CrisisThe number one health crisis facing not only African Americans, but all Americans, is being overweight. Two out of every three adults (66%) today are considered to be overweight, or even worse, obese. Even more troubling, 17% of all children in the U.S. are now overweight. The statistics for African Americans are even more alarming—where almost 80% of adult women and 67% of adult men are overweight. Equally worrisome is that 20% of African-American teenagers between the ages 12-19 are overweight, and this number appears to be rising.

Our teenagers are developing Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and in some cases, early signs of heart disease. This decline in our youths’ health can be attributed to poor diet, lack of exercise, and inadequate medical guidance.
What We Can DoThe very good news is that we have the ability to reverse these unhealthy trends! For many of us it’s not just a matter of fitting into a smaller size, but a matter of life and death! THE CHALLENGE can do so much, not just for our physical health, but for our minds and spirit too. Below are just a few of the many things I hope we’ll accomplish together.

Shed those excess pounds, achieve healthier weights, and reduce our risk for life-threatening diseases.
Unite as a community and pool our strength and resources to overcome the health problems that afflict us.
Learn more about our bodies and what we can do to live healthier, longer lives.
Teach our youth the importance of making healthy lifestyle decisions that will benefit them for years to come.

Yours in The Challenge,Ian K. Smith, M.D.

The launch begins in Washington, DC:

Washington, DC
April 7, 2007 11:00 a.m. (EST)National Mall 7th Street & Madison Drive

The 50 Million Pound Challenge officially kicks off with a star-studded live event April 7 on the National Mall at 7th Street and Madison Drive, in Washington, D.C. Dr. Smith will be joined in launching The Challenge campaign by appearances and performances from a remarkable group of celebrity champions—many of whom have their own personal stories to tell—including Patti LaBelle, Steve Harvey, Michael Strahan, Yolanda Adams, Ashford and Simpson, Omarion, Kelly Price, Jackee Harry, Biz Markie, Kimberley Locke, Da Brat, and other leaders from across the African-American community and national health and civic organizations.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., attendees will have a chance to learn more about the initiative, sign-up for The Challenge, undergo free health screenings, and join Dr. Ian on the campaign’s first post-launch walk, to mark the first steps of one of the largest African-American health initiatives ever undertaken. It then travels across America on a 14-city tour to spread the word and encourage more people to take The Challenge and help make history—for their own benefit and for lasting benefits that will strengthen the entire community for generations to come.