Randy Jackson made a pledge to live a healthier lifestyle after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2002.
“It’s a curse to be saddled with a disease that’s life-threatening and that you can’t completely get rid of, though you can certainly manage it,” the former American Idol judge wrote in his 2008 book, Body With Soul. “But it’s a blessing to get that huge wake-up call. After that day in the ER, when my doctor burst the bubble I’d been living in, I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. Right then and there, I began my journey toward better health.”
Jackson, who weighed 350 pounds at the time of his diagnosis, underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2003, a procedure that reduces the size of the stomach and reroutes part of the digestive system so less food is absorbed. Since having surgery, the bass player has maintained a 100-pound weight loss. After getting his health on track, the musician founded Unify Health Labs in 2019.
Keep scrolling to see Jackson’s health and weight loss journey over the years:
