Trump taps Dr. Oz, Bill Belichick, Lou Ferrigno to join council on sports, fitness

New England Patriot head coach Bill Belichick is among several high-profile individuals selected to be on the President's Council on Sport, Fitness, and Nutrition. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) ORG XMIT: otk_proday_065(Jay LaPrete)

Dr. Oz is just one of several high-profile individuals selected to serve on the President's Council on Sport, Fitness, and Nutrition.

The White House announced the appointment of the celebrity on Friday (May 4) on their website. Dr. Oz, whose full name is Dr. Mehmet Oz, got his start as a health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show, before launching his daily health and wellness show where he covers nutrition, diet, and exercise topics.

Oz is not the only high-profile name on the council, which also includes New England Patriots coach Bill Bellichick, as well as bodybuilder and actor Lou Ferrigno, known for playing the Incredible Hulk. They are among 20 appointees who will serve on the council for two years.

The appointment of well-known sports celebrities falls in line with Trump's efforts to rebrand the council so that it's more focused on encouraging kids to take up team sports. In February, Trump dropped the executive order that helped boost Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign which focused on physical fitness and nutrition.

The council will join Trump at the White House to host a "sports field day" in the coming months, Axios reports.

Maria Clark writes about health, doctors, patients and healthcare in Louisiana for NOLA.com | The Times Picayune and NOLA Mundo. Reach her at mclark@nola.com or 504.258.5306. Or follow her on Twitter at @MariaPClark1 .