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The Biggest Loser Responds To Critics
Posted on Jan 27th 2010 2:00PM by Bev SklarFiled Under: Celebs & Entertainment, Biggest Loser
In its ninth season, NBC's "The Biggest Loser" remains tremendously successful. Despite thousands of pounds lost since 2004 by contestants, this reality show's formula of intense exercise and calorie restriction within an isolated setting -- that also ends abruptly -- is not without criticism. Doctors, fitness professionals and even some contestants have voiced concerns about the show. It makes you wonder if "The Biggest Loser's" recent practice of extending second chance support to former contestants is in direct response to all those critics out there.
That's Fit recently spoke with J.D. Roth, executive producer and co-creator of "The Biggest Loser," about second chances, the critics, and his take on the disappointment recently shared by Season 3's champ Erik Chopin and his wife, Michelle, after Erik gained much of the weight back.
The concept of second chances began when Season 7's Daniel Wright was cast again in Season 8. According to Roth, Biggest Loser second chances require a clear purpose. "[Contestants] get the lottery ticket once, and they got the opportunity to have the best trainers, nutritionists, isolated scenario that you can ever get in your life to lose the weight. And at a certain point, back in their own lives, they need to take control and keep making it happen on their own. So that's the one I struggle with, but if there's a purpose for that second chance, then I feel like it makes sense," he said. "For Danny ... here's a guy who was, at the time, the largest contestant we ever had. For me that warranted an opportunity to finish what he started."
Wright hasn't been the only second chance recipient. Roth shared that the Shay/Subway deal was his idea. At the Season 8 finale, Subway made contestant Shay Sorrells a motivational offer she couldn't refuse. Subway will pay her $1,000 for every pound she drops by the Season 9 finale. Fair enough -- considering Shay is the heaviest woman to date on the show, this second chance remains consistent with Roth's rationale. Looks like Season 9's heaviest-ever Michael is sitting pretty for a future second chance.
But wait a minute, the second chance spotlight isn't solely aimed at size. Remember morbidly obese Max Morelli? After his brother, Mike, and dad, Ron, lost tons of weight on Season 8 (and Max's mom lost a bunch of weight on her own), Max was the only obese family member at home. Then, during NBC's "Where Are They Now" reunion special last November, it was announced Max lost 100 pounds at The Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge.
Turns out NBC paid for Max's month at Fitness Ridge. "We sent him to Fitness Ridge to help him get a jump-start," Roth said. "We really wanted him on the show, but he was [too young]. We could have waited a year and had him on the show. But I believe in that kid and believed that he could do it. There's nothing worse having your family obese, and your mother lose all that weight, then your dad and brother," he said. "To me there was nothing more heart-wrenching. Bob Harper came to me and said 'we've got to do something.'"
Second chances can be subtle, too. Imagine the fitness frenzy as dozens of former contestants prepared for their moment of fame on the "Where Are They Now" special. But Roth said that this wasn't the intention. "I think we should be patting the contestants on the back because they're the ones that are putting themselves in a position to be successful," he said. "The reason we do these ... is because they're doing special things." Fans can be assured that Roth expects more specials in the future. Let's not ignore those second chance check-ins with Dr. Huizenga, either. Motivation in and of itself, the health of each and every former contestant is tracked by the doc, and now many obesity researchers want their hands on the data.
While Roth agreed second chances are motivational, they're not in response to any criticism of the show. "We don't sit around and think, 'Oh, people are saying you should take care of these contestants more after they're done with the show.' If anything, I would say you've been given a gift and that gift has an expiration date and then you have to stand up on your own and take responsibility for your own life," said Roth. "If Danny at 450 pounds can get on that treadmill ... to me, the whole purpose of the show is to inspire Americans to make that change."
However, relapse remains an issue, even for former champs. Ryan Benson has reportedly gained it all back, and Season 3 champ Erik Chopin and his wife, Michelle, shared their criticisms of the show on Discovery Health's recent special, "Confessions of a Reality Loser." Michelle said that after the season ends, contestants are dropped "like a hot potato" and the show "doesn't care about you anymore."
Erik argued he learned how to lose a ton of weight really fast, but didn't know how to live after the cameras stopped rolling. Roth says emotional issues may be at play. "I don't blame Erik for what happened to him. And I don't think the blame should be put on us. I think everyone comes to the show with a lot of emotional issues based on how large you get. Maybe not dealing with all the emotional stuff also takes its toll on how you can keep the weight off as well," Roth said. But Roth also raised the question, "Was it [Erik's] goal to win the show, or was it his goal to set himself up for life? In the end, he should have held himself responsible."
Biggest Loser maintenance rates stand slightly higher than 50 percent. "We're way above the percentages of the normal branded diet that's out there," said Roth.
"If that's accurate, that's fantastic," said weight loss expert Anthony Fabricatore, assistant professor of psychology at University of Pennsylvania. "It flies in the face of what we assume to be true -- that the best approach to weight loss is moderate changes that can be sustained over time rather than drastic changes that require complete change of life."
Fabricatore explained relapse rates following weight loss are high, even with responsible diet and exercise. "People tend to return to their baseline weight within two to five years, but there are people who are able to maintain their weight loss indefinitely or those that lose weight and regain more." While Fabricatore has only watched one episode of the Biggest Loser -- the 2004 premiere -- he felt the show's intense exercise would be highly difficult to sustain at home. "The most effective weight loss program is the one people can follow most closely for the longest time," he said. Sweating six Biggest Loser hours a day in the gym isn't exactly it.
No one can deny Biggest Loser has skyrocketed from shame to fame. According to Roth, just five years ago producers had to convince a restaurant to allow contestants in to shoot a how-to on healthy ordering. "We had to pay a rental fee in the restaurant and shoot in an area and camouflage it so no one could mistake it for that restaurant. Five years later we're in the White House," said Roth. And cha-ching, from water filtration to chewing gum, not-so-subtle product placements abound throughout each episode.
Second chances aside, here's what you can count on: Criticism and acclaim of The Biggest Loser won't stop, and Roth will continue to push the show to evolve as long as Americans keep tuning in.
Continue to check in with That's Fit each Wednesday where we'll update you on the latest Biggest Loser diet and fitness tips and weekly contestant outcomes.
