Legion are the ways in which former swimmers move on to further achievement in later life.  Take one of the latest campaigns for betterment led by Dr Gary Hall Snr, one of the best all-rounders in history and among the greats of medley swimming from the 1960s and 70s. Dr Hall is directing an effort on behalf of United States Olympians and Paralympians and National Team members and alumni of all Olympic sports "to reverse the alarming trend of childhood obesity in America". 

The effort, targeted in a way that educates and alters cultural attitudes among age-groups that have the chance to adopt life-long skills and habits, may be American but the program is one of those that nations far and wide might care to pick up on by using Olympians as role models to tackle a worldwide problem: obesity knows no boundaries, so to speak (just take a walk through your average shopping centre in Europe, for example, and you'll see the shape of kids and the mountains of junk, sugar and salt being dropped into baskets at the supermarket).

The US initiative is centred on an annual fitness initiative called the World Fit Walk. 
Dr Hall says: You can help us by registering either as an athlete or a community leader on our website at worldfit.org and by clicking the like tab on our Facebook page. This year is our sixth year and we hope to have 100 schools registered and involve over 50,000 students in the 6 week walk/exercise program. So far, it is working … this is a problem we can solve together."

For more information, you can also follow the campaign on Twitter, at their Video page and through Linked In.