The Untold Truth Of The Biggest Loser

There are two absolute truths in this world: reality television is anything but, and the key to losing weight and keeping it off is slow and steady wins the race. One of these applies to NBC's The Biggest Loser and the other, not so much. We hate to burst your bubble, but plenty of participants and new research allege that the reality series' rapid weight loss tactics actually harm the lives of contestants instead of saving them. Thanks to a medical study published in May 2016 by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the untold truth of the weight loss franchise has been exposed along with a plethora of emerging controversies.

Since its 2004 premiere, The Biggest Loser inspired contestants to do more than just lose a lot of weight. The reality TV competition examined the underlying causes of excessive weight gain, often uncovering deep emotional trauma that started these folks on the path to obesity. Of course, the literal tons of pounds shed over the years can't be ignored, like Season 8 winner Danny Cahill's astounding 239 pound drop, or Season 15 champ Rachel Frederickson leaving 155 pounds behind to walk away from the finale at a svelt 105.

Ryan Benson/Instagram By /Dec. 10, 2020 12:27 pm EDT The Biggest Loser was an instant success when it premiered on NBC in 2004. Viewers fixated on the …

The Biggest Loser was the subject of constant controversy throughout its 17 seasons on NBC. While the contestants' weight loss was undeniably real, for many of them it didn't last. And, of course, the real question has always been: Was any of this ever a healthy or appropriate way to shed pounds? Aside from that general conundrum posed by the once-popular show, there were many, many other alleged issues as well.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images By /Updated: June 23, 2021 4:56 pm EDT Jillian Michaels isn't exactly a celeb known for having a calm and friendly demeanor. …