Effects of viewing The Biggest Loser on motivation to lose weight and perceived learning of weight-loss techniques

Entertainment education, rooted in the idea that that enjoyable content provides a venue ripe for education, has long been used in public health (Singhal & Rogers, 1999). Recently the concept has been extended to include not just entire campaigns built from the ground up for health education but also health storylines embedded into sitcoms or dramas (Valente et al., 2007). Studies have found positive effects of these specific health-related plots (e.g., Wilkin et al., 2007). Less attention has been paid to reality television programs, particularly makeover shows. These shows purport to entertain and yet also feature educational aspects. The enormous popularity of these shows, combined with a mixed reaction from the medical establishment (e.g., Christensen & Ivancin, 2006; Cromley, 2006; Zelman, 2004), suggest an important area for research.

This study examines the effects of watching NBC's The Biggest Loser on motivation and perceived learning of weight-loss techniques in a sample of viewers (N=464). TBL features 14 obese contestants vying to lose the most weight and has an audience of 8-10 million (tvguide.com, 2008). One of eight respondents (13.4%) reported enjoying the instructional aspects of the show, while 37.5% reported that they were motivated and inspired by the show. Seventy percent of viewers reported having learned practical tips about weight loss. Information learned from the show is being passed on through social networks: one in five of those who learned something report passing it on. These results, while preliminary, suggest possible important public health educational and behavioral consequences of makeover shows.