By Stacy A. Anderson, DC Style Magazine
April 10, 2007
http://dcstylemag.com/blog_main.cfm?P=%23%22%2D%3BL%0A
More than 5,000 people braved freezing weather on the National Mall Saturday to face the most pressing health crisis in America: obesity. The 50 Million Pound Challenge, a two year national health campaign, launched in the shadows of the Capitol with performances from Pattie LaBelle, Yolanda Adams, Omarion and Kelly Price.
Fitness expert and best-selling author Dr. Ian Smith of VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club,” teamed up with State Farm to launch the historic family initiative to help the African-American community lose excessive weight and maintain healthier lifestyles.
“It’s beyond the weight and number of the scales. We want people to believe they can control their health,” Smith says. “We want to treat the mind, body and spirit with a communal effort, in a fun and educational way.”
Attendees listened to their favorite artists, weighed in, registered for the challenge online and received starter kits including a pedometer, video featuring Smith and a fitness brochure with additional health information.
Other celebrities in attendance were comedian Steve Harvey, rapper Doug E. Fresh, NFL player Michael Strahan, rapper Da Brat, DJ Biz Markie, “American Idol”’s Kimberly Locke and Emmy-winning actress Jackee Harry from “227″ and “Sister Sister” fame.
Smith said gathering the support of celebrities was no hard task. “I said, ‘Your fans are dying at young ages because of preventable diseases. The same fans that have made your life successful. Why not help those who helped you?’ They can inspire and encourage their fans.”
Gospel singer Yolanda Adams agreed with the power of her presence. “This is part of the grassroots of my ministry. I see and here what people are dealing with on a daily basis. They say ‘I can’t lose this weight’ as a top complaint,” Adams said. “I’m doing this because the fans believe in me. I’m putting a faith with this initiative. People will be added for me being a part of it. I want the community to flourish and I want them to see how I live.”
Singer Omarion also attended to focus awareness on teenagers and young adults who are increasingly developing Type 2 diabetes, an indication of poor nutritional choices and lack of physical activity.
“It’s really important to me because I feel like me being here represents the young people,” Omarion says. “I want to support a cause young people need to know about. At the end of the day, we don’t want people to say, ‘Why do they do this and why don’t they care?’ We don’t want to be generation X, we want to be generation next.”
Pauline Dunn of Mitchellville, Md. attended the launch with her three children. “I came to stress the importance of health and having a good diet before you get older,” Dunn says. “It’s about health in general, not just being concerned with the pounds, but the health and fitness.”
Jane Owen of Temple Hills, Md., who also attended with her 14-year-old daughter, has suffered from kidney problems. “There’s still some pounds I could stand to lose,” Owen said. “I came to get some encouragement.”
The campaign tour will make more stops in Baltimore, Atlanta, Miami, Memphis, Cleveland, Houston, Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, Oakland and New Orleans. For more information or to register and receive a starter kit, visit one of the 11,000 participating State Farm agents or 50MillionPounds.com.
