Yahoo! Health Weight Loss Center Launches ''Get Healthy Now'' Initiative; 10 Leading...

News Editors & Health/Medical Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 22, 2003

Yahoo! Inc., a leading global Internet company, today announced the launch of the "Get Healthy Now" initiative on Yahoo!(R) Health. Beginning today, Yahoo! will feature tips

for weight loss from leading health and fitness personalities including Richard Simmons, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Kathy Smith, Karen Voight, Denise Austin, Jared Fogle, Dr. Barry Sears, Billy Blanks, Drs. Richard and Rachael Heller, Joy Bauer, Sarah Ferguson, Dr. Robert Atkins and Suzanne Somers.

From the front page of Yahoo!, consumers are connected to Yahoo! Health (http://health.yahoo.com), where they can find the Weight Loss Center containing comprehensive information on weight loss, healthy eating and lifetime fitness. The Yahoo! Health Weight Loss Center also provides interactive tools to help people achieve their weight loss goals, an online community area and multimedia gallery.

"Losing weight is one of the most common New Year's resolutions, but to successfully lose and keep off weight, most people need access to information and ongoing support," said Tina Pang Mayer, director of Yahoo! Health. "The Weight Loss Center on Yahoo! Health gives consumers the power to achieve their weight loss goals by giving them the information they need to make informed decisions."

Weight loss tips from leading health and fitness personalities in the Yahoo! Health Weight Loss Center include:

-- Richard Simmons -- It's 10% exercise and 10% eating healthy. The other 80% motivation.

-- Sarah Ferguson -- Don't diet alone. To stay motivated join a weight loss group where you'll learn from and feel inspired by others who are succeeding at shedding pounds.

-- Dr. Robert Atkins -- Eliminate unhealthy carbs like sugar, refined flour and food with high amounts of sugar and starch.

-- Dr. Deepak Chopra -- Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied.

Weight-related conditions are the second leading cause of death in the U.S., after smoking, resulting in about 300,000 preventable deaths each year. An estimated 58 million adult Americans, or over a third of the adult population, are overweight.

More than 73 million people in the United States alone have gone online in search of health information, representing 62 percent of all Americans using the Web. In addition, about 6 million Americans go online for medical advice in a typical day (Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2002). Yahoo! Health is a leading online health resource site, providing users with credible, updated content and powerful tools to manage their healthcare needs online.

About Yahoo! Health

Yahoo! Health is a comprehensive resource for people seeking health information on the Internet. Yahoo! Health helps consumers be more informed about their health through a broad range of resources and Yahoo! Health Centers. The Yahoo! Health Centers provide condition-specific news, research, information on clinical trials, community areas, shopping, a multimedia gallery, "Frequently Asked Questions," and "Find a Doctor" features. Yahoo! Health is part of the globally branded Yahoo! network that reaches millions of unique visitors each month.

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive online products and services to consumers and businesses worldwide. Yahoo! is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and the most trafficked Internet destination worldwide. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Yahoo!'s global network includes 25 World properties and is available in 13 languages.

Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.