According to a study published in the journal Obesity on Tuesday, even when “The Biggest Loser” contestants significantly change their bodies through an exigent routine of exercise and diet in just a couple weeks, the weight loss isn’t sustainable in most of the cases.
The study published in Obesity shows that as contestants on “The Biggest Loser” lost weight during the show, their metabolism slows down and never recovers from that, which proves that the rigorous routine they go through is actually harmful to their metabolism.
Researchers studied 14 contestants from the show’s eight seasons that, at the beginning of the competition, had an average resting metabolism; but as the struggled with diet and exercise to drop an enormous amount of weight in short time, their metabolism dramatically slowed down, and never recovered. In addition, the contestants with the biggest weight loss also experienced the greatest slowing of their metabolism.
People.com reported that the study found that 13 of the 14 participants regained some of the weight back while four of that same group gained back what they lost and even more.
Contestants are having a hard time with weight gaining
Erinn Egbert, one of the contestants, who went 263 lbs. to about 176 lbs. during the competition, is struggling with a slow metabolism that burns 552 fewer calories a day than what is estimated for someone his size. However, she’s been able to keep off the weight and now weighs even less, between 152 lbs. and 157 lbs.
“We have comprehensive procedures and support systems in place which we routinely re-evaluate to ensure all contestants receive the best care possible,” they said in a statement. “The lead medical doctor on the show, who has worked with the National Institutes of Health on initiatives in the past relating to The Biggest Loser has been made aware of this most recent study and is in the process of evaluating its findings,” the NBC show told People in a released statement.
A winner of the show Ali Vincent –who’s actually the first female winner of the competition –recently confessed that she regained back most of the weight she had lost back in 2008. In Facebook, she posted about her struggles with regaining the weight, saying she felt ashamed, embarrassed and that she felt like a failure for gaining almost all the weight back.
Researcher Dr. Kevin Hall from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, told The New York Times that the findings are both frightening and amazing.
“I am just blown away,” he said.
Source: Online Library