Anthony Anderson is striving to live a healthy life for his kids. The actor tells Parade that his experience as a diabetic serves as motivation to encourage his son and daughter to stay fit.
“Had we known then what we know now, I’m sure my parents would have made sure that we did some things differently,” says the star. Anderson recalls being identified as the “husky” kid during his rearing years, and has a mother who also battles with diabetes. With the disease being so prevalent in his family, the star is doing everything within his power to spread awareness about obesity and establish healthy eating habits at home.
“I think the main challenge is really universal: to live with diabetes and not die from it,” explains Anderson. “There’s definitely been a lack of information, lack of a place or website or anything to go to get this information and to be a part of something [for African Americans]. I can only speak from my own experience—I can’t speak for the whole community—but losing my father to this disease, I didn’t want my kids to have to go through that, so that was a vow I made to myself and to them. You can live a productive life as a diabetic; it’s all about just having the information about the disease and about what it is you can do as an individual.”
More than sixty percent of Americans are considered overweight, with nearly seven percent of such persons being classified as morbidly obese. Several diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, are directly linked with obesity, yet less than half of the American population makes a conscious effort to maintain healthy weight.
BCK Asks: What do you think about the obesity statistics in America and Anthony Anderson’s efforts to spread awareness about healthy living? What do you do and your family do to stay fit?
Photos: DJ Dnice Photography
