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CNN Live Today

Weighing in on Health

Aired March 05, 2003 - 11:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Capitol Hill is known for Pork Barrel politics, but today, lawmakers are putting their weight behind a serious health issue. They're taking part in the Great American Weigh-In. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society and Weight Watchers, the goal is to raise awareness how maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. Sara Ferguson, the duchess of York, is the spokesman for the campaign, and she's joining us from Washington this morning.
Duchess, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

SARA FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK: Good morning to you. I'm pleased to be able to talk to you. Thank you.

KAGAN: It was looking -- when I was looking through this, it seems like the model for this is the smoke-out, where they try to get people to quit smoking, but instead of smoking out, you're trying to get people to weigh-in, step up to the scale.

FERGUSON: It's time to empower the American people to help themselves. If they can have their BMI, which is their body mass index, measured, it will tell them whether they need to lose weight or not, or if they're overweight or obese. We've just heard that over 35 percent of cancer deaths per year is down to poor nutrition, and obesity and sedentary lifestyles, as compared to tobacco, which is 30 percent of deaths per year.

So there is now a major increase in the fact that obesity is now the number-one killer in this country.

KAGAN: Which It was so interesting to see the American Cancer Society hook up with Weight Watchers.

FERGUSON: Well, the American Cancer Society, being the overall umbrella for cancer in this country, believes, having looked at many, many plans, diet plans, that Weight Watchers is not a diet plan; it's about a way of life. It's changing your lifestyle and understanding you're in control of it. So we're very, very honored to be pairing up together.

KAGAN: Duchess, if you can stay with us just a second. We have a little business we have to take care of. If you can just sit tight, I have a couple more questions to ask you. We'll bring the duchess back in a moment.

Right now, a quick break, and we'll be back right after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're going to continue our conversation right now with Sara Ferguson, duchess of York. Duchess, I apologize for that interruption, and I appreciate you sticking around to keep talking about what's a very important topic.

FERGUSON: It's a very important topic. And don't worry at all, I'm quite happy.

KAGAN: OK, good, as long as everybody's comfortable there in Washington.

Let's get back to the topic of BMI. You're not just asking people to step on the scale, you know, we watch the thing move and go up to that big number. it's not just about the number on the scale.

FERGUSON: No, and body mass index is very complicated for people to know about, but it's not really at all. What it means is that you get on the scale, you're a certain weight, and then you measure height, as well. And then it's an arithmetic measurement. So you have to get in touch -- you have to go to the Weight Watchers Center today, March 5th or any day and get your BMI. Today, you get it measured for free. However, you can also go online with cancer.org or weightwatchers.com. So there are many ways to get information on how to measure your BMI. But it's very important, if it's over 25, you must lose weight, or there is absolutely increased risk of you getting cancer.

KAGAN: I think you have a lot of credibility on this issue, because as soon as you came in the public eye, this is something, weight issues is something that you've just been identified with, but I think for a long time, people have seen a very fit Fergie, and I might assume, oh, you're over all that, you've conquered any weight problems, and this doesn't concern you on a daily basis anymore. How are your issues with food these days?

FERGUSON: My issues with food are much better thanks to the support of Weight Watcher, but have I to say it is very important to keep up a lot of fitness, get on the bike, and I understand now that if I don't remain fit and healthy, then I could easily be one of those people, one in two or one in three people, that will suffer from cancer, and I don't want that, because I'd like to see my children grow up. So I'm taking this weight problem very, very seriously, and I think the American people must wake up to the fact that it is now a number one killer.

KAGAN: Yes, and not just the duchess, but as you mentioned, the mother of two girls who are getting older every day. How do you come up with that balance of wanting them to have healthy body image, but also the right kind of attitude about food?

FERGUSON: Well, I think the best way to help your children is by being the role model yourself, and certainly they see from what I do with my fitness and what I eat with weight watchers, which means you can eat anything you like, because you know, you just count the points. My children are able to keep a well-balanced diet, and therefore, their figures are good figures. They all want to try and look like the models they see in magazines. And we do have an issue with that. I think the most important thing is honesty, and trying to show them through you that you don't have to be a model in order to be loved.

KAGAN: You can be a role model, not a supermodel. Do you like that?

FERGUSON: Oh, we love that. We're going to use that. I love that one.

KAGAN: You can have it; it's all yours.

FERGUSON: Thank you.

Be a role model, not supermodel.

KAGAN: There you go.

Duchess, thank you for joining us today. We really appreciate it.

FERGUSON: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired March 5, 2003 - 11:22   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Capitol Hill is known for Pork Barrel politics, but today, lawmakers are putting their weight behind a serious health issue. They're taking part in the Great American Weigh-In. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society and Weight Watchers, the goal is to raise awareness how maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. Sara Ferguson, the duchess of York, is the spokesman for the campaign, and she's joining us from Washington this morning.
Duchess, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

SARA FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK: Good morning to you. I'm pleased to be able to talk to you. Thank you.

KAGAN: It was looking -- when I was looking through this, it seems like the model for this is the smoke-out, where they try to get people to quit smoking, but instead of smoking out, you're trying to get people to weigh-in, step up to the scale.

FERGUSON: It's time to empower the American people to help themselves. If they can have their BMI, which is their body mass index, measured, it will tell them whether they need to lose weight or not, or if they're overweight or obese. We've just heard that over 35 percent of cancer deaths per year is down to poor nutrition, and obesity and sedentary lifestyles, as compared to tobacco, which is 30 percent of deaths per year.

So there is now a major increase in the fact that obesity is now the number-one killer in this country.

KAGAN: Which It was so interesting to see the American Cancer Society hook up with Weight Watchers.

FERGUSON: Well, the American Cancer Society, being the overall umbrella for cancer in this country, believes, having looked at many, many plans, diet plans, that Weight Watchers is not a diet plan; it's about a way of life. It's changing your lifestyle and understanding you're in control of it. So we're very, very honored to be pairing up together.

KAGAN: Duchess, if you can stay with us just a second. We have a little business we have to take care of. If you can just sit tight, I have a couple more questions to ask you. We'll bring the duchess back in a moment.

Right now, a quick break, and we'll be back right after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're going to continue our conversation right now with Sara Ferguson, duchess of York. Duchess, I apologize for that interruption, and I appreciate you sticking around to keep talking about what's a very important topic.

FERGUSON: It's a very important topic. And don't worry at all, I'm quite happy.

KAGAN: OK, good, as long as everybody's comfortable there in Washington.

Let's get back to the topic of BMI. You're not just asking people to step on the scale, you know, we watch the thing move and go up to that big number. it's not just about the number on the scale.

FERGUSON: No, and body mass index is very complicated for people to know about, but it's not really at all. What it means is that you get on the scale, you're a certain weight, and then you measure height, as well. And then it's an arithmetic measurement. So you have to get in touch -- you have to go to the Weight Watchers Center today, March 5th or any day and get your BMI. Today, you get it measured for free. However, you can also go online with cancer.org or weightwatchers.com. So there are many ways to get information on how to measure your BMI. But it's very important, if it's over 25, you must lose weight, or there is absolutely increased risk of you getting cancer.

KAGAN: I think you have a lot of credibility on this issue, because as soon as you came in the public eye, this is something, weight issues is something that you've just been identified with, but I think for a long time, people have seen a very fit Fergie, and I might assume, oh, you're over all that, you've conquered any weight problems, and this doesn't concern you on a daily basis anymore. How are your issues with food these days?

FERGUSON: My issues with food are much better thanks to the support of Weight Watcher, but have I to say it is very important to keep up a lot of fitness, get on the bike, and I understand now that if I don't remain fit and healthy, then I could easily be one of those people, one in two or one in three people, that will suffer from cancer, and I don't want that, because I'd like to see my children grow up. So I'm taking this weight problem very, very seriously, and I think the American people must wake up to the fact that it is now a number one killer.

KAGAN: Yes, and not just the duchess, but as you mentioned, the mother of two girls who are getting older every day. How do you come up with that balance of wanting them to have healthy body image, but also the right kind of attitude about food?

FERGUSON: Well, I think the best way to help your children is by being the role model yourself, and certainly they see from what I do with my fitness and what I eat with weight watchers, which means you can eat anything you like, because you know, you just count the points. My children are able to keep a well-balanced diet, and therefore, their figures are good figures. They all want to try and look like the models they see in magazines. And we do have an issue with that. I think the most important thing is honesty, and trying to show them through you that you don't have to be a model in order to be loved.

KAGAN: You can be a role model, not a supermodel. Do you like that?

FERGUSON: Oh, we love that. We're going to use that. I love that one.

KAGAN: You can have it; it's all yours.

FERGUSON: Thank you.

Be a role model, not supermodel.

KAGAN: There you go.

Duchess, thank you for joining us today. We really appreciate it.

FERGUSON: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com