The Biggest Loser tv show.....re: WLS

Hey guys,  I watched the Biggest Loser finale episode tonight and was bothered by what their resident Dr. H. had to say about WLS.  He called WLS disgraceful or something along those lines.  I wish I could remember his exact quote, but it pissed me right off actually.  This is a doctor saying these things and it just really set me back....I have learned so much this past year and to hear him be so disgusted with WLS....I don't know.  Did any of you watch the episode?

Hi

what a fraud!  I can'****ch that show anymore.  I don't understand who could possibly keep that lifestyle up.  The very low cal and amount of exercise aren't maintainable.  IDK but I bet there is a high regain rate on contestants...

I wouldn't worry about what you hear on TBL, they are all a bunch of frauds, what they push is non-evidence based, unethical crap.  There is lots of research on the show and its participants and the methods they use. The actually set each and every one of their participants up for failure, they destroy the body's metabolism in a way that makes it virtually impossible to maintain their weight loss.  The show is a complete disgrace and the only thing it serves to do is to perpetuate horrible weight-bias and stigma around weight loss. 

I say this with total confidence, any doctor associated with TBL is completely going against their own mandate to "do no harm", using non-evidence based practices to treat patients is whole heartedly unethical and they should be stripped of their licenses.  If he personally believes that WLS is bad, that is his right, but professionally he has a responsibility to be aware what the current scientific evidence shows and base his treatment and advice off this current evidence. 

While many doctors are great and very knowledgeable, weight loss and weigh maintenece is not something they know very much about in general.  I especially would not give to much power to a Dr you see on TV, like Dr. Oz the biggest scammer of them all, they have alternative motives,   

I wouldn't worry about what you hear on TBL, they are all a bunch of frauds, what they push is non-evidence based, unethical crap.  There is lots of research on the show and its participants and the methods they use. The actually set each and every one of their participants up for failure, they destroy the body's metabolism in a way that makes it virtually impossible to maintain their weight loss.  The show is a complete disgrace and the only thing it serves to do is to perpetuate horrible weight-bias and stigma around weight loss. 

I say this with total confidence, any doctor associated with TBL is completely going against their own mandate to "do no harm", using non-evidence based practices to treat patients is whole heartedly unethical and they should be stripped of their licenses.  If he personally believes that WLS is bad, that is his right, but professionally he has a responsibility to be aware what the current scientific evidence shows and base his treatment and advice off this current evidence. 

While many doctors are great and very knowledgeable, weight loss and weigh maintenece is not something they know very much about in general.  I especially would not give to much power to a Dr you see on TV, like Dr. Oz the biggest scammer of them all, they have alternative motives,   

Yep, I caught the ending and was disgusted by what he said. Funny though, when Bob Harper was asked in an interview several weeks ago on a radio station, his reply to the question as to how many of the biggest losers have been successful at keeping their weight off, he said unfortunately less than 20-25%! 

This program is ridiculous and absolutely unhealthy. Our stats for wls are much lower than the BL failure rate as per Bob at 80%!

In my centre, HRRH I have been told the rate of regain has been as high as 40% for VSG and 30-40% for RNY patients at three to five years out. These stats are for patients who did not reach their surgeons 'goal' weight. I think that's pretty impressive! 

Its all about the ratings I guess.

I have never watched the show but caught this interview on ET yesterday from an ex contestant and it turned me off and made me never wanna watch it either.. http://www.etonline.com/tv/158909_former_contestant_slams_th e_biggest_loser_others_stand_by_show/

I didn't catch the show but I'd be interested to know what he said. It probably wasn't nice. I used to watch that show a few years ago but I stopped when it became more about playing a game than about weight loss. I was more interested in the weight loss aspect, probably because I was so overweight at the time.

I do not like this show. It drives home so many misconceptions about obesity. Like that people are fat because they're lazy, and if they just work hard they will lose the weight. After all, these people work out and look they drop all that weight! It's just not true. I think it also overemphasizes physical activity. Don't get me wrong, I think exercise is incredibly important and I work out a lot, but it just does not produce much in terms of weight loss and it won't make a dent if you have poor nutrition. 

I've read many off-camera horror stories and most contestants do gain it back which is sad. This show offers a lot of false hope to people. WLS isn't a silver bullet but it is a legit tool that is very successful at helping people sustain weight loss.