Dr. Ian Smith, physician, journalist and well-know author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Fat Smash Diet has challenged the African-American community to lose weight.

To get the project off the ground, Smith teamed up with State Farm® on The 50 Million Pound Challenge, a historic opportunity to lose weight and take control of our lives and good health. The Challenge is a remarkable commitment by the African-American community to join hands and turn back the deadly risks of being overweight, a growing health crisis that threatens nearly half of all Americans and takes the lives of too many loved ones from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and other illnesses.

The African-American community has been hit especially hard and now is fighting back. To reach its ambitious goal, The Challenge is making it easier for participants to get fit, lose the weight and keep it off—with tools, tips, a personal weight tracker and more. Joining is free, simple and anyone can sign up, by going to 50millionpounds.com, to shed the pounds and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.

The 50 Million Pound Challenge officially kicks off with a star-studded live event April 7 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Dr. Smith will be joined in launching The Challenge campaign by appearances and performances from a remarkable group of celebrity champions—many of whom have their own personal stories to tell—including Patti LaBelle, Steve Harvey, Michael Strahan, Yolanda Adams, Ashford and Simpson, Kelly Price, Omarion, Jackee Harry, Biz Markie, Kimberley Locke, Da Brat, and other leaders from across the African-American community and national health and civic organizations.

Attendees will have a chance to learn more about the initiative, sign-up for The Challenge, undergo free health screenings, and join Dr. Ian on the campaign’s first post-launch walk, to mark the first steps of one of the largest African-American health initiatives ever undertaken. It then travels across America on a 14-city tour to spread the word and encourage more people to take The Challenge and help make history—for their own benefit and for lasting benefits that will strengthen the entire community for generations to come.