subject: Researchers Look Into Americas Biggest Loser [print this page] Researchers Look Into Americas Biggest Loser
Researchers have been pulled into the latest television phenomenon in the United States; NBC's "Biggest Loser." With over 10 million regular viewers and thousands of pounds of weight lost during the shows lifespan, researchers wanted to know why Americans find the show so popular.
It turns out that Americans are interested in the show primarily for its public embarrassment rather than a wholesome message to those that need to lose weight should do so by changing their lifestyle to reflect a healthier way of living.
With over 190 million Americans obese or overweight, and childhood obesity increasing even more sharply many researchers and doctors thought that a show that showed that obese individuals can lose weight, even large amounts of weight, quickly and safely by changing their lifestyle, eating habits, and taking a deep look inside was a good move for NBC and the nation.
However, with the amount of weight being lost increasing with each show, and the limits of healthy weight loss pushed each year. "My concern is that such shows not only establish unrealistic expectations but could promote unhealthy, potentially risky, behaviors from viewers attempting to emulate these spectacular results" according to Dr. James Hill of the University of Colorado at Denver.
On average, the contestants of the Biggest Loser lost some 40% of their body weight over 3 months by following a low calorie diet, combined with 4-6 hours of physical training per day. The contestants have an extensive support network: round the clock access to top-notch medical care, full-time nutritionists, full-time trainers, and strong family and community support, not to mention that they are being filmed for millions of viewers.
Researchers and clinicians say that achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight over the long term necessitate changes that include gradual modification of lifestyle and behavioral changes which should be supervised by a physician and people can reach out to lifestyle modification programs to assist with learning these new behaviors. Through learning new lifestyle behaviors, say Dr. Hill, people can lose weight quickly, especially if they have a lot of weight to lose, but more importantly they can internalize the new skills and hopefully keep the weight off for life, something that the Biggest Loser has yet to show.
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