CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- "I'm Michael and I'm obese." Doctors laughed at the American Medical Association annual meeting when one of their own stood up to admit his girth, but the subject was serious: physicians tackling the nation's obesity epidemic by addressing their own weight problems.

Dr. Michael Fleming -- the Shreveport, Louisiana, family physician who prompted the chuckles -- said he has decided to wear a pedometer and take 10,000 steps daily. It is the same advice doctors give patients and a message the American Academy of Family Physicians is relaying to its more than 90,000 members so they can serve as role models.

Other doctors stood up to tell their own weight-loss stories -- not mentioning how they slimmed down, but urging others to follow suit. Dr. John Seibel said he has managed to go from a body-mass index of about 31 to 24. Anything over 30 is obese, while above 25 is considered overweight. "I find it much easier now to talk to my patients" about obesity, said Seibel, of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Dr. Paul Handel, Houston physician Dr. John Kelly, a 78-year-old obesity specialist from Rochester, New York, said he had gained weight after a stroke but now has an acceptable BMI of 25. About half the doctors attending the session raised their hands when asked if they exercised 30 minutes most days. Some of the doctors ate high-calorie sweet rolls and muffins provided at the hotel. One doctor took the microphone and said more healthful food should be served at such meetings to set an example. "We should start with ourselves" and offer food like bran muffins "instead of the hyper-cholesterol meals," said Dr. Mary Ellen Bradshaw, a public health specialist from Arizona. But Dr. Paul Handel of Houston told participants, "The obesity epidemic is not the fault of Krispy Kreme or McDonald's. Unless we rekindle some sense of personal responsibility ... 20 years from now we will still be struggling to treat" the problem.

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(CNN) -- Asthma hits all areas of the United States, but Knoxville, Tennessee, is the worst. Tennessee is also home to two other cities in the top 10: Memphis and Nashville.

To bring awareness to the potentially fatal disease, the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America developed a list of 100 metropolitan areas across the country that they term "asthma capitals." The group looked at the prevalence and mortality from the disease, outdoor air quality, smoking laws and the number of asthma medication prescriptions and specialists.

While Knoxville takes the top spot, Arkansas' capital, Little Rock, and St. Louis, Missouri, follow as the most challenging places for asthmatics to live, according to the AAFA ranking. Madison, Wisconsin, and Louisville, Kentucky, come in at fourth and fifth, respectively. The remaining top "asthma capitals" are Memphis, Tennessee; Toledo, Ohio; Kansas City, Missouri; Nashville, Tennessee; and Hartford, Connecticut.

"[The list] gives us evidence of how prevalent asthma is across the country -- a disease that has increased two-fold in the past two decades," said Dr. Derek Johnson of Temple University Children's Medical Center and member of the group who released the city rankings. Government figures show asthma affects more than 20 million people in the United States and accounts for nearly 5,000 deaths each year. The most common form of asthma is allergic asthma, triggered by exposure to such things as pollen, mold, weather changes and viral or sinus infections.

Like many with allergic asthma, Nancy Hammonds is keenly aware spring is in the air as coughing and sneezing are beginning to control her life. "The allergies make me feel really heavy in the chest," she explained. "I wheeze, get up sometimes in the night coughing." These allergies sometimes aggravate her asthma to the point where she can't talk or get enough air into her lungs. Doctors warn that just because you have allergies, you won't necessarily develop asthma. But Hammonds, who has had the disease for more than 40 years, said controlling the symptoms for her is crucial to stay alive. "Sometimes you feel close to death if you don't breathe very well," she said. "It is terrifying sometimes." The AAFA said its "asthma capitals" list is meant to help people recognize symptoms and causes of asthma, especially those living in the cities where asthma is most prevalent.

Triathlon -- A Sport for Athletes Only? Think Again! (ARA) - Triathlon became an official Olympic sport in 2000 at the Sydney Games, but it has been steadily growing in popularity for three decades.

The sport consists of three legs: swimming, biking and running, in that order, according to the rules set by the International Triathlon Union. Race distances can vary, but most triathlons use the Olympic standards, which are a 1.5 kilometer swim, a 40-kilometer bike ride and a 10-kilometer run. The first triathlons were informal races organized by a group of athletes in Southern California, many of them marathon runners, who were looking for a break from the routine of their grueling training regimens. These competitions evolved into more “official” events, and the first true triathlon was held in 1974.

From that beginning, the sport has grown to include thousands of triathlons held every year, in locations around the world. “Triathlon has become a popular sport for a growing number of competitors,” says Marilyn Franzen, Life Time Fitness’ athletic events director. “They are appealing events because the average person has some experience in either biking, swimming or running.” Although the sport requires dedication and training, you don’t have to be a professional athlete to compete. “Triathlons are great for people looking for a challenge,” said professional Triathlete Becky Gibbs Lavelle. “ Whether an athlete looking for a new challenge or a weekend warrior, it’s a great way to reach your physical goals, while executing a steady workout plan with everyday life.”

Life Time Fitness has produced and hosted an annual triathlon since 2002; it features the largest cash purse in the history of the sport, at $500,000. It also features a unique timing system called the Equalizer that pits the world’s best professional triathletes, women and men, against one another for the first place prize of $250,000.

The Life Time Fitness triathlon features two race distances. The professional division competes on the Olympic course under the Equalizer timing format. Amateurs also may compete. Individuals may participate on the Olympic or Short distance courses, or as part of a relay team. The event also offers a Corporate Challenge division for interested corporate participants. New this year are the Clydesdale and Athena divisions -- for male athletes weighing more than 200 pounds and female athletes weighing more than 150 pounds. Top finishers will qualify for the 2004 Team Clydesdale World Games in Chicago.

Set in Minneapolis, the 2004 Life Time Fitness Triathlon takes place in a beautiful urban landscape and is shown nationally on NBC Sports. “Life Time Fitness is a healthy way of life company, and the triathlon celebrates well-rounded athletes at their peak of training,” says Franzen. “This year’s event takes place on July 17 and will feature many professionals who will go on to compete in the Olympic Games in Athens just a few weeks later.” Catch the event on NBC nationally this July 17, from 2 to 3 p.m. EST. But watch out, you just may become yet another of the thousands of thriathletes participating in this growing sport. For more information, visit www.lifetimefitness.com. Courtesy of ARA Content

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"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses—
behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road,
long before I dance under those lights."

- Muhammad Ali

Dear Flabby,
I'm only 24 but I lost about 25 pounds in 8 weeks and now I'm so into myself it's scary. I totally check myself out and admire my thin new body, I've even put a mirror in the bedroom for sex watching. My husband loves 'the new me' and I'm happy too, but Is this pride or vanity?

Brenda S. - Las Cruces, NM

Dear Brenda,

Damn, that's quite a letter. I'm all for a healthy body image, but there's a fine line between pride and narcissism, and I think you screeched right past it. My fear is that this new-found self satisfaction has happened too dramatically and will give way in time to self-doubt followed by a retreat into depression. But who knows? For now just remember, the physical self is only a superficial social image. Don't let the media and society convince you that "what you see is what you get", cuz there's a lot more to a person than body mass index and toned triceps.

( send letters in confidence to dearflabby@prosnack.com )

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