50 Million Pound Challenge Marks 1st Anniversary - What a Difference a Y...( Half a Million People Team up to Take...),Health

Half a Million People Team up to Take Control of Health, Take off Pounds to

Gain Healthier Lives

NEW YORK, April 2, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- What a difference a year makes! What a difference people can make when they join together to confront a serious challenge. On April 7, 2007, thousands braved snow in Washington, D.C. to join Dr. Ian Smith, Patti LaBelle, Yolanda Adams, Michael Strahan, Steve Harvey and other leaders to launch Dr. Ian's 50 Million Pound Challenge. Backed by leaders across the African-American community, this unprecedented national health initiative hosted a 14-city kickoff tour and has resonated across America with its rallying cry 'Give up the pounds, not the fight.' On April 7, 2008, Dr. Ian will be at NYC's Apollo Theater to begin a month-long anniversary celebration. This historic campaign has already inspired almost half a million people to team up to take control of their health, take off close to two million pounds and fight the epidemic of excess weight taking so many lives, especially among African Americans.

The Challenge is celebrating its first-year milestone by taking its message to grassroots America, and marking April as "50 Million Pound Challenge Month." The initiative is partnering with churches, colleges and civic organizations across the nation to mobilize more members and sustain its drive to reach its ambitious 50 million pound goal. To help spread the word, Dr. Ian -- campaign founder, Celebrity Fit Club expert and #1 NY Times best-selling author of the Fat Smash Diet -- has been joined by hundreds of civic and celebrity champions, mayors, members of Congress and national health and civic groups. All are encouraging more people to join the growing Challenge online community at http://www.50millionpounds.com where participants can find free tips, tools, a personal weight tracker and start or join Challenge teams to support
'/>"/>