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

After Losing More Than 100 Pounds, Ali Shares Her Fight With Obesity to Educate Others About the Emotional and Physical Impact of the Disease

IRVINE, Calif., May 22 /PRNewswire/ — Khaliah Ali, fashion designer,
author and 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 battle with weight would prevent her from
seeing her son grow up. Like others who are more than 100 pounds
overweight, this “moment of truth” drove Ali to recognize the severity of
her fight with obesity and seek a solution.

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Now more than 100 pounds lighter, Ali has teamed up with ObesityHelp, a
leading resource for obese individuals, and Allergan, Inc., the makers of
the LAP-BAND(R) Adjustable Gastric Banding System for the “Moment of Truth” obesity health education campaign. This campaign aims to help the millions of individuals who are more than 100 pounds overweight recognize the
physical and emotional impact obesity has on their lives and motivate them
to engage in discussions with their healthcare professionals about
appropriate, safe and effective weight-loss solutions.

“It took me more than 30 years to reach my ‘moment of truth’ and
realize the impact obesity had on my life both physically and emotionally.
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. I truly felt like a part of me was dying inside.”

Ali is not alone in her fight, as obesity continues to be a growing
national epidemic. In the United States, approximately 60 million adults
are obese and 9 million are severely obese.(1) This chronic disease is
caused by any one or a combination of environmental (social and cultural),
genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological factors and
in 2000 cost this country an estimated $117 billion in direct and indirect
costs.(2, 3, 4) Unfortunately, these costs are not expected to decrease
anytime soon. A RAND study, recently published in Public Health, analyzed
data collected between 1986 and 2005 in the United States from a household
telephone survey.

The results showed that the prevalence of individuals with a self-reported Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30 (classified as obese) increased by 24 percent between 2000 and 2005, but the prevalence of those with a self-reported BMI over 40 (classified as morbidly obese) increased by 50 percent.(5) In addition, people who are significantly overweight or obese face serious health consequences, including increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and
premature death.(1, 6)

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

“I now have the tool I need to win my fight against obesity and achieve
sustained weight loss,” 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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
and National Institutes of Health (NIH), as a disease, unfortunately,
treating this disease remains a challenge.(7, 8 ) 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.(9) 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.(10) According to a report published by the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality, data strongly supports surgical treatment
as a superior option for weight loss and to help control co-morbidities
associated with excess weight, like Type 2 diabetes and hypertension, in
morbidly obese patients.(11, 12)

“Obesity is the greatest national health issue facing this country;
yet, there is a tremendous lack of knowledge among the obese and primary
care physicians about safe and effective weight-loss options,” said George
Fielding, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery at New York University
School of Medicine and Ali’s surgeon. “It’s critical that those fighting
the battle with obesity understand the fight is not hopeless and
proactively speak with their doctor about a weight-loss treatment that will
work for them. Obesity is a disease and needs to be identified as such by
both the medical and patient communities.”

“Many ObesityHelp community members share the experiences Khaliah
highlights in her moment of truth and weight-loss journey,” said Eric
Klein, founder of ObesityHelp. “A vicious cycle of unsuccessful dieting
very often leaves many individuals feeling helpless. 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 or the humiliation
of not fitting into a restaurant chair, 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. To learn more about Khaliah’s
story, the “Moment of Truth” campaign and to access the self-assessment
tool, go to http://www.momentoftruth.org.

About ObesityHelp, Inc.
ObesityHelp is a leading resource dedicated to the education,
empowerment and support of all individuals affected by obesity, along with
their families, friends, employers, surgeons and physicians. ObesityHelp
provides a comprehensive program of support and education as well as
assistance in locating whatever resources it takes to overcome this
life-threatening condition. The organization has an active community that
communicates online through its Web site at http://www.obesityhelp.com and through
a regular program of conferences and workshops conducted around the
country.

The “Moment of Truth” campaign is an educational initiative, sponsored
by Allergan, Inc.

NOTE: As with any surgery, there are possible risks and complications
with the LAP-BAND(R) System, including but not limited to infection,
nausea, vomiting, band slippage and obstruction, and in rare cases, gastric
perforation and reoperation. You can find more risk information by visiting
http://www.lapband.com or by calling 1-877-LAP-BAND.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/momentoftruth/25719/

(C) 2007 Allergan, Inc. Irvine, CA 92612. (R) and (TM) marks owned by
Allergan, Inc.

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