Shaquille O' Neal's reputation precedes him, both on and off the court. The 7-feet, 1-inch, 325-pound basketball player is one of the most dominant athletes in the National Basketball Association. Although he's still a force to be reckoned with as a player for the Phoenix Suns, Shaq has shifted his focus on a new game - getting parents and children to get healthy and shed those extra pounds.

It may seem like an odd fit - the super-sized basketball guru and what amounts to an ego-boosting fat camp for kids, but that's exactly what Shaq set his sights on with his ABC show Shaq's Big Challenge, which aired last summer. And he speaks from experience.

With his towering stature, Shaq is off the charts when it comes to height and weight. For years, he's made it his mission to maintain a healthy weight. With the help of personal trainers and nutritionists he's managed to stay on the fast track to physical fitness. But he knows better than anyone that the road can be rough... and now he's reaching out to families everywhere to inspire them to change their eating and exercising ways.

Through Shaq's Family Challenge, the father of six has recruited a team of leading experts to help fight the fat. Playing for his team are Today show nutrition guru Joy Baeur, celebrity chef Tyler Florence, motivational speaker Dale Brown, physician and trainer Carlon Colker, personal trainer Tarik Tyler and others. Using a combination of healthy eating, regular exercise and motivation, Shaq coached the youngsters on his show to shed the baby fat that's been weighing them down.

In this exclusive, Shaq sits down and talks about the childhood obesity crisis, his role in helping kids battle the bulge and his new campaign for healthy families.

How would you describe Shaq's Family Challenge?
The show was two things. First, it was a learning experience for me, as I took on a task that I thought was going to be pretty simple - get six kids in better shape - and discovered the complexities that make the state of our children's health so disturbing. Second, it was an effort to get the message out to the masses of parents, educators and kids in a direct, in-your-face way in hopes of stirring some change.

Have you had your own weight struggles, and what steps did you take to correct them?
I obviously was always considered "big" for my age. I am the extreme when it comes to all of the charts and guidelines put out there, like BMI. That being said, I also always played sports and maintained an active lifestyle. Without that, I probably would have been at risk for being obese.

Why is childhood obesity such a problem?
Because so many people either don't think about what's happening to our kids, or they simply don't have the information. Eating habits and lifestyles are different today than in past generations. Technology has made both home-cooked meals less natural and made young people less active (video games, computers, cell phones, etc.).

What is the first step in fighting this epidemic?
The very first step is to get the information out there. People can't do better until they know better. And because we're talking about new life patterns, it helps if the path is made easy at first. That was our thought behind getting a Web site out there with recipes and workout tips.

Do you think that enough people realize how much of a problem childhood obesity is?
No, I don't -- especially when you talk about the adults who guide our children and their habits. Politicians, parents and school boards can make a lot of decisions to turn this epidemic around if they gave more attention to it.

Do you think that enough people realize how much of a problem childhood obesity is?
No, I don't -- especially when you talk about the adults who guide our children and their habits. Politicians, parents and school boards can make a lot of decisions to turn this epidemic around if they gave more attention to it.

What sets Shaq's Family Challenge apart from the other programs out there?
I'm not sure. That really is for other people to decide. We just tried to do a show that adequately showed a serious problem and offered practical ways to solve it. We didn't want to show a competition as much as we wanted to show the human spirit.

How do you envision yourself in the fight against childhood obesity?
I'm just one guy. Hopefully, the show helped get the message out, but there isn't much that I can do alone when you look at how serious and widespread the condition is. When you read that this is the first generation to have a life span shorter than its parents, it puts into perspective that we need all hands on deck.

What type of results have you seen from participants so far?
The kids were inspiring. The weight loss ranged from over 70 pounds to a little under 30 pounds, but the most interesting thing to see was the change in the personalities. Confidence and self-esteem went up, and for one group there was a noticeable improvement in academic performance as well. Basically, kids were allowed to be kids - outgoing and following their dreams.

How would you describe the online component for the show?
It's just a way to keep the message out there and to facilitate families being proactive about their health. The more that we can provide the tools for success, the fewer reasons we'll have for people not achieving it.

What can parents do if they're children rebel against their efforts to get the family healthy?
Try to make it fun. We're not suggesting any type of military lifestyle for kids. We're simply talking about family members loving themselves enough to take care of themselves so that they can live fuller, longer lives.

To learn more, visit Shaq's Big Family Challenge and put your family to the test.