shaquille o'neal

shaq is dedicated to fighting childhood obesity.

Shaquille O’Neal says, “Since I was a young kid, I’ve always been involved in competitive sports, pretty much year round, so fitness just came with the territory.” But that many years of sports is hard on the body, and he says, “...as I have gotten older, I have become more sensitive to how my body now takes longer to recover from injuries and muscle imbalances. I know that the work put in up-front to maintain proper weight is invaluable compared to what it takes to rehabilitate.” Beyond his own fitness, Shaq says he was becoming aware of the epidemic we have in childhood obesity in America. “I saw how the patterns of nutrition and exercise must start early. This is the first generation to have a life expectancy shorter than their parents.” These two factors form the basis for his relationship with 24 Hour Fitness. “We want to create centers of fitness...so that health becomes a habit.”