PR Newswire Broadcast Minute for Friday March 11, 2005

PR Newswire Broadcast Minute for Friday March 11, 2005

Has the Obesity Epidemic Peaked?

The Harris Poll has been tracking important lifestyles and behaviors which influence life-expectancy and disease rates for more than 20 years. Much has changed since the first survey of adults nationwide in 1983. Between 1983 and 2005, these surveys by Harris Interactive show that:

-- Cigarette smokers have declined from 30 to 19 percent of all adults, and -- Those who claim that they always wear seatbelts have increased from 19 to 86 percent of adults.

Obviously, these trends are very good news. However, over these same 22 years, Harris Interactive finds that in relation to people's weight:

-- People aged 25 and over who are over their recommended weight for their height and body frame have increased from 58 to 77 percent, and -- Those who are obese (defined as weighing 20 percent or more than their recommended weight) have doubled from 15 to 30 percent.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=2896077

Television Neighborhoods Scooping Up Ratings Rather Than Reality

The highly rated television show, Desperate Housewives, is apparently desperately out of touch with Americana. In a recent survey sponsored by Edy's Slow Churned Ice Cream, only six percent of Americans report living in a neighborhood inhabited by "desperate housewives." In fact, Americans claim their community is more like the Lynbrook, Long Island neighborhood featured on Everybody Loves Raymond rather than the famed Wisteria Lane on Desperate Housewives . Another "dishy" finding ... Americans don't necessarily believe notable public figures and Hollywood celebrities would be friendly or accommodating neighbors, in spite of their public appeal.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=2895219

Michael Phelps, Molly Sims, Sugar Ray Leonard and Frederic Fekkai Headline Panel of Celebrity Judges for NBC's Telecast of MISS USA Pageant (April 11, 9-11PM ET)

N-B-C, Donald Trump and Paula M. Shugart, President, Miss Universe Organization have announced that six-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps; CoverGirl supermodel and star of N-B-C's "Las Vegas" Molly Sims; boxing legend and co-star of N-B-C's "The Contender" Sugar Ray Leonard; and world-renowned beauty expert Frederic Fekkai will headline the celebrity judging panel for the Miss U-S-A 2005 pageant. Broadcast live on N-B-C, "Access Hollywood's" Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell will co-host the pageant from Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 9-11pm. Also featured on this year's judging panel are: famed fashion designer Pamela Dennis, notorious ladies-man Raj Bhakta from N-B-C's "The Apprentice," model Ksenia Maksimova and Brody Hutzler from N-B-C's "Days of Our Lives."

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=2895841

The PR Newswire Broadcast Minute is available by email at no charge to members of the media who sign up for PR Newswire for Journalists ( http://www.prnewswire.com/media ). For more information, contact Rob Fisher at 408-365-8793 or email rob.fisher@prnewswire.com .

PRNewswire -- March 11

Source: PR Newswire

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