Khaliah Ali, Daughter Of Muhammad Ali, Leads Obesity Health Education Campaign

Khaliah Ali, daughter of former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, experienced a life-changing "moment of truth" the year after her son was born. At 335 pounds, more than 100 pounds heavier than her father's best fighting weight, Ali feared her weight would prevent her from seeing her son grow up. This "moment of truth" drove Ali to recognize the severity of her obesity and seek a solution.

Now more than 100 pounds lighter, Ali has teamed up with ObesityHelp, Inc. (www.ObesityHelp.com), a leading resource for obese individuals, and Allergan, Inc., the makers of the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System, for the "Moment of Truth" campaign. This campaign aims to help the millions who are more than 100 pounds overweight recognize the impact obesity has on their lives and motivate them to discuss solutions with their healthcare professionals.

"It took me more than 30 years to reach my 'moment of truth' and realize the impact obesity had on my life. Until then, I was constantly fighting my weight, trapped in an endless cycle of diets and exercise, and humiliated by the misperception of others that I simply lacked will power," states Ali. "No matter how hard I tried, I was losing the fight against obesity and feeling a deep sense of shame and helplessness."

Ali is not alone in her fight. Obesity is a growing national epidemic. In the United States, approximately 60 million adults are obese and 9 million are severely obese. This chronic disease is caused by one or more environmental (social and cultural), genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological factors, and in 2000, cost this country $117 billion in direct and indirect costs. These individuals face serious health consequences, including increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and premature death.

Like Ali, many individuals cycle through ineffective diets and, despite consistent efforts to lose weight, struggle for years or sometimes a lifetime with obesity. In 2004, at more than 270 pounds, Ali fought back with the help of the LAP-BAND® System procedure, the only FDA-approved adjustable gastric band for use in weight reduction for severely obese adults.

"I now have the tool I need to win," states Ali. "By sharing my journey, it is my hope to help others reach their own 'moment of truth' and see the possibility of life without obesity."

While obesity is now recognized by leading government health authorities, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as a disease, unfortunately, treating this disease remains a challenge. The NIH has reported that people in weight-loss programs lose only about 10 percent of their body weight and gain most of it back within five years. For people who are morbidly obese, or more than 100 pounds overweight, weight-loss surgery has become a clinically accepted effective treatment option for long-term weight control.

"Many ObesityHelp community members share Khaliah's experiences," said Eric Klein, founder of ObesityHelp, Inc. "It is our hope that this campaign will help the millions of individuals struggling and living a life compromised by obesity to identify their pivotal moment and begin their journey to find a solution."

Consistent with the Prochaska and DiClemente's behavioral change model, a "moment of truth" experience, such as having a child, often triggers individuals to take action to overcome obesity. In an effort to help others identify their personal turning point and assist them in finding a solution, the "Moment of Truth" self-assessment tool was developed.

By: Wendy Mitchell

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To learn more about Khaliah's story, the "Moment of Truth" campaign and to access the self-assessment tool, go to www.momentoftruth.org. Khaliah Ali, daughter of former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali.