Study of The Biggest Loser contestants highlights struggles of long-term weight loss

The reality TV show The Biggest Loser celebrates contestants who achieve substantial weight loss—but how do they fare afterwards? A recent study in Obesity followed participants from the show’s eighth season. That season’s winner, Danny Cahill, lost 239 pounds in seven months during the show, but has regained 100 in the six years since.

Researchers found that the contestants’ resting metabolism had dropped significantly by the end of the show, which is typical among dieters. However, their metabolic slowdown persisted years later, frequently becoming even slower. According to the New York Times, which reported on the study, “it was as if their bodies were intensifying their effort to pull the contestants back to their original weight.” Danny Cahill, for example, must eat 800 calories less per day than the average man his size in order to avoid weight gain.

To learn more, read the study in Obesity or read The New York Times’ coverage of the findings.