Pau Gasol grew up torn between two callings\u2014heal with a stethoscope or inspire with a basketball. As a kid, he once said he wanted to become a doctor and \u201cfind a cure for AIDS<\/em>,\u201d inspired by his hero Magic Johnson\u2019s diagnosis. But destiny nudged him toward the hardwood, not the hospital. He ended up in Lakers gold, just like Magic. And today? He may not wear a white coat, but Pau is still fulfilling that childhood ambition\u2014serving and uplifting lives, just off the court.<\/p>\n That mission took shape in 2013, when Pau Gasol<\/strong> and Marc Gasol<\/strong>\u2014who may have made their names on the court\u2014launched what might be their biggest assist yet: the Gasol Foundation. It wasn\u2019t about stats or rings anymore. It was about something far bigger than basketball\u2014helping kids live healthier lives. Growing up with parents in the medical field, the importance of health and well-being was instilled in them early. So when they saw how serious the childhood obesity crisis had become, they didn\u2019t just talk\u2014they took action.<\/p>\n And that action led to a powerful moment Pau recently shared on Instagram. \u201cToday we have presented the Longitudinal STEPS Study together with the @gasolfoundation team, our collaborating entities and the Minister of Health, @monicagarciag_,<\/em>\u201d he wrote. \u201cFor 3 and a half years, we have followed the evolution of boys, girls, and teenagers in Spain.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/div>\n What they found was sobering. \u201cSpend 11 more hours a week in front of screens. Do 18 minutes less of physical activity a day. And they present greater emotional unease,\u201d<\/em> Pau explained. He didn\u2019t hold back: \u201cThis data warns us about a worrying reality: if not taken preventively during childhood, healthy habits deteriorate rapidly. We must transform the environment in which our sons and daughters grow up to facilitate healthy choices and curb this trend.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Pau Gasol isn\u2019t just raising awareness\u2014he\u2019s raising the bar when it comes to children\u2019s health. \u201cStudying the level of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle of children and adolescents in our country is necessary to promote policies and educational interventions that contribute to preventing childhood obesity,\u201d<\/em> he said, wearing his President-of-the-Foundation hat. And he\u2019s absolutely right. According to the World Health Organization, physical inactivity is one of the leading global risk factors and plays a major role in the rising obesity crisis. It\u2019s not just a stat\u2014it\u2019s a reality too many families are living through.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where the PASOS Study comes in\u2014a game-changing initiative launched by the Gasol Foundation, alongside the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute and supported by partners like the Probitas Foundation, Santander Bank, and the Bar\u00e7a Foundation. This nationwide study is all about understanding how active or inactive kids really are in Spain. With backing from Spain\u2019s Ministry of Education and Health, and even the High Commissioner against Child Poverty, the study reflects how serious this mission is. And with 18.1% of kids aged 6 to 9 already facing obesity\u2014and another 23.2% overweight\u2014Pau and Marc Gasol are using their platform to do what they\u2019ve always done best: lead with purpose, and fight for the next generation\u2019s health.<\/p>\nBasketball Rafael Nadal and Pau Gasol team up for charity golf<\/h2>\n
![\"basketball](\"https:\/\/image-cdn.essentiallysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20200603165328\/Nadal-hugging-Pau-Gasol.jpg?width=150&blur=15\" "\\"basketball\\"")
<\/p>\n