Almost three decades ago a 70 pound baby featured on The Jerry Springer Show, these days he looks completely different.

Well, obviously ‘Baby Zach’, aka Zach Strenkert, looks different as he was just 17 months when he rose to fame and now he’s five days away from turning 30.

Zach Strenkert appeared on the show as a toddler in 1996 (CBS)

Zach was born with a rare genetic condition called Simpson-Golabi-Behmel Syndrome (SGBS), a condition that causes rapid and excessive growth, and during infancy it meant he grew an inch and gained a pound every week.

Without the finances to assess why Zach was so different to other babies, his parents opted to go on Jerry Springer’s show in a bid to find a definitive answer – which would be costly if they hadn’t.

Reflecting on his period of infamy, Zach said per The Mirror: “They presented me as different, which only separated me from everyone else. I was known as the kid that was on TV.

“Nowadays people ask what it was like. They assume my mom was chasing fame and that wasn’t the case.

“We just wanted help with geneticists, which wasn’t easy to come by with our insurance.”

Zach appeared on The Jerry Springer Show a second time before his weight loss journey (The Jerry Springer Show)

Adding: “We didn’t really get a lot of take-home pay after all the affairs were done. It was strictly to make sure that her kid was okay.”

There was always concern that this cute baby boy – who appeared on the show in 1996 as a toddler – would have issues with him weighing the same as a seven-year-old, while he was a one-year-old.

In fact, the 6ft 5 giant came in at 485 pounds at his heaviest, but when Covid-19 hit and lockdowns were imposed in the US, he used that time to get in shape and slimmed all the way down to 200 pounds.

But more recently, he has bulked back up and is toning up and adding muscles to his physique.

Taking to Twitter in May last year, he tweeted: “I’ve like totally matched my fat and muscle pound for pound, I’m built like a goddamn tank now. I’ll post an update eventually.”

Zach has been getting in shape and has been bulking up to incorporate muscles into his giant physique (X/@GiantOpana)

He appeared on the show again before Covid hit and the audience was all hear for him and his humor.

“Nowadays I’m a competitive gamer actually,” he shared.

“That’s just by chance, like yeah, I just played it because I liked it, it’s hard for me to do some things because of my size – I’m a big guy but you know I own that, I’m like the hottest fat guy around.”

Then speaking backstage during the interval, his mom told Springer: “I carried him until he was a hundred pounds, now it’s his turn to carry Mama.”

A man who became famous for being ’70lb’ at the age of one has reflected on being in the spotlight and how it’s affected him.

As a 17-month-old baby, Zach Strenkert was taken on The Jerry Springer Shower by his mother in 1996, and was introduced as the ’70 pound baby’.

He was born with rare genetic condition called Simpson-Golabi-Behmel Syndrome (SGBS).

Zach Strenkert appeared on the show as a toddler in 1996 (The Jerry Springer Show/NBC)

What is Simpson-Golabi-Behmel Syndrome?

Orphanet describes it as: “A rare X-linked multiple congenital anomalies syndrome characterized by pre- and postnatal overgrowth, distinctive craniofacial features, variable congenital malformations, organomegaly and an increased tumor risk.”

Internally, SGBS can cause heart defects, malformed or abnormally large kidneys, an enlarged liver and spleen, as well as skeletal abnormalities.

According to MedlinePlus, 10 percent of those with the health condition develop cancerous or noncancerous tumors in early childhood.

The negative impact The Jerry Springer Show had on Zach’s life

In the wake of Netflix recently releasing a documentary about the controversial daytime show that dominate people’s TVs throughout the 90s and 00s, Zach — now 29 years old — has spoken out about having once starred on the show and how it’s affected him.

“They presented me as different, which only separated me further from everyone else,” he told The Mirror. “I was known as the kid that was on TV.”

Zach continued: “Nowadays, people ask me what it was like. They assume my mom was chasing fame or money, but that wasn’t the case.

“We just wanted help with geneticists, which wasn’t easy to come by with our insurance.”

How Zach turned his life around

Like many people across the globe, Zach focused his attention of his fitness and wellbeing when the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns rolled in.

Sharing an update last year, he described himself as a ‘goddamn tank’ after dropping fro 485 pounds to 200.

“I’ve like totally matched my fat and muscle pound for pound, I’m built like a goddamn tank now. I’ll post an update eventually,” he said at the time.

Zach has a condition called Simpson-Golabi-Behmel Syndrome (The Jerry Springer Show/NBC)

It seems as if Zach has since deleted his Twitter account, however.

As well as enjoying fitness, he is an avoid video gamer. Zach has opened up about his love of Esports in particular in the past (a form of competition using video games).

Speaking about this on the Better Call Daddy podcast, Zach said in 2023: “Through Esports, I taught myself discipline, overcoming your anxieties, getting involved in community, […] just a lot of really valuable, core qualities that will stay with me for life.”

Zach continued: “I’m realizing if you funnel this energy into anything, does not matter what it is, you still see progress as long as you stay steady and consistent.”

He went on to say he had a similar approach when it came to beginning his weight loss journey during lockdown.

An expert has explained three habits that could help extend your lifespan, including a simple exercise you can do everyday.

Becoming more focused on your health as you get older can be a great thing and is often the first step to leading a happier and healthier lifestyle.

With that said, reassessing how you are living may mean you need to make some changes.

Longevity expert Leslie Kenny has highlighted three key things that could help you avoid the pitfalls of an aging body.

Leslie Kenny explained how important having good balance was for old age (Getty Stock Image)

Floor exercise

Most interestingly when it came to exercise, Kenny pointed to the habits seen in countries like Japan, where some choose to eat their meals on the floor as well as casually resting in the squat position.

She referred to this as ‘floor culture’ and said the motion of constantly getting up and down could have health benefits.

As per the MirrorOnline, Kenny – who is the founder and CEO of Oxford Healthspan – explained: “Getting up and down off the floor several times a day actually builds lower body strength and refines balance, both of which help protect against falls and later life frailty.”

Cold showers

The expert also suggested changing your shower habits, referencing research from the Netherlands.

Kenny said: “Cold showers are an easy health hack as they stimulate the immune system, which is why a study shows those who take them are less likely to get sick.”

The 2018 study found that those who took cold showers called in sick 29 percent less than those who enjoyed hot showers.

Obviously having cold showers doesn’t exactly feel great so Kenny also suggested a simple enough work around to help you incorporate it into your morning routine.

She added: “The trick is to enjoy a hot shower (as hot as you can bear) first. Then switch to the coldest setting available while thinking of the challenges of the day and week ahead and ensuring that you feel positive about them.”

Eating well also becomes more important (Getty Stock Image)

Increase spermidine intake

And the third and final thing she suggested was focused specifically on food.

Since you are what you eat, this isn’t much of a surprise.

While getting your essential minerals and vitamins is important, the expert highlighted one lesser recommended addition.

Kenny said: “Try to get at least one serving of mushrooms, greens, fermented foods or a hard, mature cheese into your daily diet to increase your intake of spermidine.”

The body naturally produces spermidine but as we age, it produces less. Spermidine plays a role in immunity, cell renewal and autophagy – the breaking down and recycling of damaged or unnecessary cell parts.

A Japanese woman revealed the two things she ate every single morning to help her live to the grand old age of 116 years old.

Tomiko Itooka was recognized as the oldest person in the world for the last few months of her life following the death of Maria Branyas Morera, a Spanish woman who died in August at the age of 117.

That was until December 29, when Itooka tragically passed away on the same day as the former US President Jimmy Carter – who also died a centenarian.

Tomiko Itooka sadly passed away at the age of 116 in December 2024 (Ashiya Municipal Government)

Itooka was born on May 23, 1908 – six years before the first world war – before dying in December 2024 at a nursing home in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

The mayor of Ashiya, which is roughly a 20-minute journey from Osaka, released the following statement: “Ms. Itooka gave us great courage and hope throughout her long life. I would like to express my gratitude once again.”

She enjoyed 51 years of marriage with her husband Kenji Itooka, who she shared four children with – two daughters and two sons – but he sadly passed away in 1979.

So, what was her secret to a long life?

Well, she enjoyed two specific things every morning – a banana and a yogurt-flavored Japanese dairy drink called Calpais… so if you want to live to a grand age, you might want to ditch the sausage and egg and replace it with banana and yogurt.

According to the Guinness World Records, Itooka was an avid hiker and remarkably, she recounted at the age of 100 she climbed Mount Ontake – a 3,067-meter peak – twice.

Inah Canabarro Lucas, a Brazilian nun who was born just 16 days after Itooka, is now believed to be the world’s oldest person.

Whenever you hear someone has ticked over 100 years, our natural thought is what is their secret?

It is usually about what they eat rather than what they do, as they more than likely haven’t had a laborious job down the mine.

Itooka enjoyed a banana and a Japanese dairy drink every morning (Ashiya Municipal Government)

One of the longest living cities in the entire world – based on residents who live to 100 years and beyond – is situated in the US, or more specifically in the city of Loma Linda, California.

It has been dubbed the ‘Blue Zone’ and it is populated by a number of Seventh-day Adventists – a Protestant Christian denomination commonly known for avoiding alcohol and smoking and observing a meat-free diet.

The residents there have their own secret, if you are to follow in the footsteps of most senior of all seniors in the world… you should dish up a bowl of oatmeal.