Childhood obesity has become such a problem in the United States that NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is stepping in to do something about it. He’s chosen six dangerously overweight kids from Florida to help get into shape. Shaq will not only help change the lives of these kids but lobby to change the lives of kids all across the country by fighting for change in school systems as well as in our own government. He hopes to accomplish this over only a six month period. Will he accomplish his goals? We’ll find out as we watch Shaq’s Big Challenge.

Shaquille O’Neal is the perfect person to take on this mission. He not only is a great athlete in great shape but he’s a father of six and loves working with children. He is understandably concerned by what he’s learned: 59 million Americans are considered obese and 300,000 die each year from complications due to their weight.


It’s time to pick up the kids to start changing lives and first, we meet James, a junk food junkie. He is 11-years-old and 182 pounds. James’ mom raises him alone and often gives in to the convenience of fast food. Next up to get a visit is 11-year-old Chris, weighing in at 206 pounds. He admits that his biggest problem is portion control. He just doesn’t know how to stop and Chris’s father explains that in Spanish culture, if you’re too thin, it is perceived that you’re not doing well in life.

After that, it’s on to 14-year-old, 211 pound Ariel. Her parents divorced when she was young, turning her into an emotional eater. It’s also time to pick up Kit, 14-years-old and 263 pounds. Kit never exercises and is perceived as an outsider. Thirteen-year-old Kevin, another overeater, joins the group and weighs in at 230 pounds. Last but not least is Walter, 14-years-old and 285 pounds, who plays video games for hours on end each day. Each kid has a common theme: they are constantly teased by their peers and feel alienated because of their weight. Shaq makes a promise to stick with the kids and get them through the program.

First up, the kids take the President’s Physical Fitness Challenge, to assess where they are physically. During pushups, Chris, Ariel and Walter cannot even get one down while Kevin gets the most, pulling off six pushups. They continue to struggle through chin-ups and sit-ups. The last task is to run a mile, which proves to be challenging for all kids participating. Kevin shines again, finishing first, followed by James, and even the remaining four also finished the entire mile. This is especially uplifting to Walter, who expresses he’s never participated in anything where people cheered for him.

Shaq decides the most sensible thing to do is bring in a childhood obesity specialist, but that proves to be a challenge in itself. After being on the phone all day, he finally connects with Dr. William Munos from Miami Children’s Hospital. Dr. Munos has worked on childhood obesity for the last 18 years and is the perfect expert for the situation. He takes time to interview the six kids, administer a stress test, and also evaluate their Body Mass Index, or BMI.

Dr. Munos delivers the results to Shaq and the kids, and the news isn’t good. Some are classified as morbidly obese, all are warned about the severe health hazards they face. All of the kids and their parents take the news hard. Seeing the results on paper is upsetting as they realize just how out-of-control their habits have become. Dr. Munos says there’s only one way to fix what’s wrong the correct way: diet and exercise.

Shaq builds an all-star team to help teach these kids how to change their lives. He brings in nutritionist Joy Bauer to help the kids learn better eating habits. Shaq also agrees to take on the same diet that the kids will be on. After their lesson with Joy, Shaq sends the kids to the gym to work on strength training and cardio exercises while he goes to training camp. By day two, Chris, Kit and Ariel have stopped coming. On day three, no one shows up at all. Shaq returns in week two and finds the kids at the gym but without much work ethic.

Shaq’s health specialist, Carlton “Doc” Colker, spies on the kids at the gym without anyone’s knowledge. He finds out that the kids have not only been slacking off, but lying to Shaq about how well they’ve been doing and how hard they’ve been working. He’s got no choice but to lay down the law.

Next week on Shaq’s Big Challenge: Shaq turns up the heat on the kids.


-Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Photo courtesy of ABC)