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Biggest Loser marathon under fire

Health experts have criticised The Biggest Loser's plans to put contestants through a 42km marathon after only 11 weeks of training.

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The Biggest Loser plans to go ahead with a 42 kilometre road race for its contestants after only 11 weeks of training.

The marathon will allow all eliminated contestants to re-enter the competition and compete for the show’s title and $200,000 prize.

Already Shannon Bourke, the show’s heaviest contestant at 214 kilograms, collapsed attempting a four-kilometre run in the first challenge of the series. Doctors discovered he had fractures in both legs and possible shin splint.

Another contestant, Geoff Ibbs, already quit the show on medical advice.

Sports medicine expert Peter Brukner told The Sunday Age, ”All these people are obese, presumably a lot of them have got cardiovascular risk factors, high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure … There is a risk of an acute cardiovascular event like a heart attack … The thought of them going from nought to a marathon in 11 weeks is just crazy.”

Executive Producer Richard Campbell insisted no one will be forced to take part in the marathon, to take place in the 11th or 12th week of the 12-week series.

There are also claims that weekly weigh-ins are not necessarily filmed 7 days apart distorting the idea that significant amounts of weight have been lost in just 7 days.

Campbell said of the claim, ”I don’t want to comment on that.”

Source: Sunday Age

8 Responses

  1. They may not be “forced” into doing it, but anyone who watches the show would understand the pressure – even from the contestants themselves – there would be to take part.
    I actually think this show needs government supervision, not just to protect the contestants, but also the viewers who get very warped ideas about training and dieting from it.

  2. This show ought to be banned. It tortures its contestants to lose weight by making them punish themselves physically at a completely unrealistic rate. Who the hell has the time to exercise that much?!

    Then when these poor people return to the routine of daily life what happens? They put it all back on again. Anyone see how much Cosi stacked it on just one year after he left?!

    The show teaches these poor people nothing about how to reduce their weight long term and preys on their emotional vulnerability. Its a complete sham.

  3. 0 to 42km in 11 weeks is very difficult even if you are starting from an optimum weight. I completed one a couple of years back and it took me a good six months to build up proper stamina and strength starting from 0.

    This whole shows premise is very gimmicky. Why do people get voted off? It’s quite clear that most of them need to spend all the time in the house. Also what’s with all the tears? Toughen up, no one forced you eat all that food in the first place, just get the job done.

  4. The fact a week is not a week on The Biggest Loser, only adds further stress and sets unrealistic goals for viewers. That is a big gripe I’ve had with this show for a long time. The fact the executive producer did not want to comment on it only adds fuel to the fire.

    The Biggest Loser is potentially the most insincere and exploitive show on tv. No other show exploits their contestants to this degree both emotionally and physically.

  5. I struggled with the 12km City to Bay even after training for it, and i’m a fit 22 year old male. I wouldn’t even attempt 42 km. Don’t think they would be able to complete it and it would take several hours. Sure..push them…but don’t kill them.

  6. I think the critics completely miss the point here. Sure, the contestants are obese at the Start of the competition, but it is rare that people are at the End of the competition. I think the new “Master Class” concept on Friday nights is awesome, because it is showing people at home who might be in the same category the tricks of getting into a healthier lifestyle. Does it really matter if the weigh-ins aren’t always 7-days apart? In the end, each contestant will have competed for as long as any other contestant.

  8. god get a life you people! Your not happy when people dont exercise and your not happy when they do! This has come up again and again and every time we are told and we know this already, that doctors are there 24/7 monotoring them constantly. Of course he collapsed in the 4 km run, he prob hadnt run that far ever. You even see the doctors quite often on the set attending them.
    I think they will be fine competing in the 42 km marathon. Remember its not like they have to run the whole way, aslong as they compete its good, and if they have the calorie thing at the end like others in previous yrs you could come last and still stay in the comp

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