Everyone's heard it by now: Americans are fat and getting fatter. Their ballooning waistlines have come despite years of calorie counting, magic pills and fad diets. They've come despite reams of scientific research about the dangerous health risks of obesity. They've come despite stern public admonitions from the nation's leading governmental and medical organizations about eating less and exercising more.
If anyone has a chance to reach the nation's couch potatoes, it just may be a 53-year-old former college linebacker from Texas whose mix of folksy charm, tough talk and motivational skills has brought him a television audience of 65 million viewers. Phil McGraw, almost universally known as "Dr. Phil," has taken on low self-esteem and troubled relationships, and now he's tackling America's epidemic of flabbiness.
Fueled by an autumn marketing blitz, Dr. Phil's new book, "The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom," has rocketed to the top of the New York Times and other bestseller lists. With 2.5 million copies in print, it's already in its ninth printing in eight weeks.
The popular psychologist launched his book and his weight-loss campaign two months ago on his nationally syndicated daytime television show, second only in ratings to that of his show business mentor Oprah Winfrey. The show and his Web site (www.drphil.com) are tracking the progress of 13 volunteers whose starting weights ranged from 195 to 464 pounds as they struggle to slim down.
He's made recent appearances promoting his book with talk show hosts Larry King, Jay Leno and David Letterman. The Los Angeles resident was recently the subject of a Katie Couric special about his weight loss plan and was later featured discussing his seven keys in a weeklong series on "Today."
Now Dr. Phil's face is even popping up on a new line of health and nutritional products called "Shape Up!," available at such major retailers as Wal-Mart, Target and Sav-on. The multivitamins, snack and meal-replacement bars and shakes all carry Dr. Phil's picture.
Dr. Phil, who declined to be interviewed for this story, essentially summarizes what other nutritionists, doctors and health professionals have been saying for years. But some health officials say he might just be what the nation needs.
"Maybe Dr. Phil, because of his popularity, is going to be able to do what the American Medical Assn. and the American Dietetic Assn. haven't been able to do -- get the message out," said Doug Kalman, a nutritionist and spokesman for the American College of Sports Medicine.
