With all the wonderful things this show is doing around the world, I would absolutely love to see them do a show for overweight children. Childhood obesity is at an all time high in this country and childhood diabetes is out of control. Why not help the kids the way you help the adults. You can do it as a biggest losers families that way one of the parents are there to learn how to cook healthier for their kids and to learn to make better choices for their kids. The kids do the exercise with their parents right there with them supporting them 100%, but are on their own for challenges. I think its worth looking into. What do you think?

tmanz...........there are child labor laws that would prevent children participating on the program at it's current format. You must be at least 18.

It is an interesting point since the reality show The Amazing Race did a family season which included young children. However, they were not technically locked down in a "studio" for months at a time.

Unfortunately, though, just like adult obesity, childhood obesity is a super sized epidemic that will take much more than a simple television show to resolve. Still, I believe The Biggest Loser could be a great medium to increase childhood obesity awareness through schools, communities, and local organizations.

However, the greatest education needs to be addressed to the adult parents of these children. They play such a huge responsibly in what food choices their children make and how much exercise their children participate in. For example, many parents would rather buy their children a new computer game rather than a new bicycle.

The Biggest Loser television show could be a great tool in this massive effort. However, it will take small steps from all of us to make a huge difference.

I have worked the program and have finished my first year anniversary of maintaining my 80 pound weight loss. I lost my weight thanks to the biggest loser and hard work. I have always been overweight and I started to notice my son gaining weight.
I also work in food nutrition at the local high school. I see the processed food being served and the way these teens eat. I would say there is more obese teens than fit teens.
However last year my kids at school seen as I transformed myself into healthy slimmer happy me. I have some kids that I've got walking more and notice more of the healthier options.
I can't imagine what the biggest loser could do even to teach them how to eat healthy make better lifestyle choices that they can carry along to their next journey in life.
The biggest loser needs to have an all teen or even all college student season.
Thanks,
shannon

Given that you work in food nutrition at the local high school, what are you doing to discourage obesity among your students? Have you approached the Principal so as to try and change the types of foods the school is purchasing for the students to eat? Do you work alongside the gym teachers to teach the students about a healthier lifestyle such as packing their own lunches rather than buying the crap at school? Next to parents, teachers and others who work in schools have the biggest influence on students. If the school buys processed and unhealthy foods, then that's what the students will eat when they're at school.

I am totally with you shanbert. I was over weight my entire life and once I began to understand health and nutrition I knew I had to change. I value life and am very thankful that I was able to achieve my goal of losing 250lbs.

Health education needs to start at a much younger age and become a mandatory part of school programs. I remember when I was young I only had a 2 week program in 2nd grade briefly explaining to me how I should eat. It really did not do anything and I still didn't change my habits in anyway. I am very fortunate to have changed at my age and prevent future health risks from arising.

The college student idea is a great approach. Having lost my weight in my college years, I have seen the opposite occur to my colleagues. Everyone has heard of the freshmen 15; which is gaining those 15lbs of weight from living in the dorms and having to start cooking for yourself. My friends joke with me all the time and say, "it is funny how we had the Freshman 15 and you had the Freshman -200".

I just wish there was a better way to reach out. My friends always tell me I am an inspiration, but I know what I have achieved, anybody can achieve. It is all relative to the choices you make. In college that can become difficult, as a 18 year old is faced with so much; especially with the concept of freedom. There has to be a way to educate people in my age range 18-25 years old, but I still have not figured out how yet. Maybe I am thinking to big, but I was always told to dream big and that is what I try to do.

I think we are on the same page, which I am thrilled to see. Congrats on your weight loss also, it is not easy to do what you have done.

We are talking about schools and health education, and although it was mentioned, I think the onus needs to be on parents to address the problem. We unfortunately are developing a society where parents and society in general are trying to make schools responsible for raising children, rather than teaching them. There is a big difference between the two. Ultimately, if we started holding parents responsible for allowing their children to reach ridiculously unhealthy weights I think more parents would stop feeding their kids crap and re-learn the forgotten skill of cooking a decent family meal.

I'm not sure where to enter this message. I have looked all over THE BIGGEST LOOSER website and can't find where to post it...so here goes. In today's society it is a sad fact but our youth are increasingly becoming overweight/obese. I would like to see the producers do a show where the contestants are teenagers. I am a high school teacher as well as a mom of a teen. I see and hear (and do) things that aren't healthy habits for kids today. I know there are people out there that say "it's the parents fault" and that may be true; but we also have to consider the hectic lives of our kids. My son for example is in marching band and with all their practices, games and compitions it makes it hard for him to exercise on a regular basis. I do my best to promote healthy eating; but when they so many outside negative influences it makes it easy for them to grab nachos at the game. In fact the "meals" they serve the kids at these events are usually burritos or fried chicken or sandwiches loaded with junk. I have tried (in vein) to change the "menus" but am constantly told "this is what the kids like and this is what they will eat and they need to have food in their system when they perform. I know none of this is an excuse for bad habits. My son and I watch The Biggest Looser religiously every week and he told me last night, "this is great mom, but what does any of this have to do with me and my life". We talked about it and I realized he's right. He sees these adults who have families (i.e. wife and kids) and jobs; but there is nothing there for him to relate to. So I am just saying that if the producers considered doing a show (that maybe is taped during the summer so not to interfere with school) where they showcase teens, and how to still live a healthy life style with all the activities they are involved in, then they might reach out to more people and this issue with obesity would/could be tackled. As a teacher we are taught that when you want to change an issue (i.e. reading deficits) you have to start at the bottom and work your way up. What that means is that you make changes where the problems are beginning. So if studies show that a student reading scores start dropping off in first grade then that’s where the interventions need to start. Well it is the same with teen obesity. They did NOT wake up one day as a sixteen year old and all of a sudden they are overweight. The problem began way before that. So as a nation we need to start looking at where it starts and begin intervention(s) there. As we know kids today watch lots of T.V. In fact in the news recently we have heard about cereal companies targeting children harder than ever…so why can’t we use the same forum to reach these kids in a more positive way. Having teens sitting in front of the T.V. watching someone “just like them” participating in a program like The Biggest Looser would (over time) change the mentality of this country. It would be kids talking to kids. So to the producers of THE BIGGEST LOOSER, please consider developing a season geared towards kids and their issues and something THEY can buy into and is related to their lives.