The Biggest Loser

The Biggest Loser is a reality competition show that features obese or overweight contestants competing for a cash prize of $250,000 by losing the highest percentage of weight relative to their starting weight over a span of 30 weeks.

Contestants are grouped into teams of three and work with trainers who are responsible for designing a comprehensive workout and diet plan. Winners of the show’s various challenges gain special privileges, including advantages for the next weigh-in or full immunity from elimination. Teams who have lost the least amount of weight during a week have to send a member home.

The series premiered on NBC in 2004 and aired until 2016 before moving to USA Network for its 18th and final season. The Biggest Loser has faced backlash from nutritionists and physicians questioning the ethics of the competition. Former contestants have also spoken up about the risks they took during the show to lose weight only to end up gaining it all back, and many demanded NBC cancel the show following the 2016 release of a study done by the US National Institute of Health (NIH) revealing a majority of season 8’s contestants regained the weight they lost.