50 Million Pound Challenge Teams Up With Churches to Spread the 'Gospel of Healt...( Free National Weight-loss Initiat...),Health

Free National Weight-loss Initiative to Focus on Grassroots in '08 -

Churches Key

CHICAGO, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2008, Dr. Ian Smith's 50 Million Pound Challenge will be working with local organizations, particularly churches, to help spread the word and organize at the grassroots level to motivate people take control of their health. Just as the national health initiative conducted a 14-city kick-off tour in 2007, this year's focus will be on visiting several of the largest and most influential churches and partnering with hundreds of other churches nationwide to provide resources and guidance for them to implement The Challenge on their own. Since its launch last April, more than 300,000 have joined The Challenge and are taking control of their health. Together, they have lost more than 1.3 million pounds in the fight against the epidemic of excess weight, which is taking so many lives, particularly in the African-American community.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080129/AQTU108)

"We are off to a great start, but it's imperative that we inspire more people to become active participants to reach our 50 million pound goal," Dr. Ian said. "We will continue to take The Challenge message and weight loss tools to the people. The churches, traditional cornerstones in African-American communities, are a natural pulpit for delivering our important message. I thank our sponsor State Farm(R) for making it possible for us to spread this "gospel of healthy living" as we head out across the country this year."

Dr. Ian launched The Challenge's Church Tour with a visit to Divinity Christian Church in Los Angeles last fall and has already taken the initiative to one of the largest and most influential of black churches in New York, Abyssinian Baptist Church, and in New Orleans, Greater St. Stephens Full Gospel Bap
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