Did the ‘Biggest Loser’ lose too much?
How much weight loss is too much?
That’s the question the Twitter users and health officials are weighing in on today, following last night’s season finale of the “Biggest Loser.”
The show’s winner, Rachel Frederickson, lost 155 pounds which is nearly 60 percent of her body weight. The 5-foot, 4-inch tall woman now weighs 105 pounds.
NBC
Frederickson’s height-weight ratio puts her slightly below the threshold doctors would consider “healthy.” The World Health Organization considers anyone with a BMI of less than 18.5 underweight; Frederickson’s BMI is 18.0, according to a “Time” health article.
NBC/Getty Images
“Biggest Loser” trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper looked surprised when Frederickson walked on the stage; neither of the trainers worked with Frederickson (she was trained by Dolvett Quince).
Time/Twitter
The show’s fans also reacted swiftly. Fans on Twitter questioned Frederickson’s health and criticized the show for all applauding her dramatic weight loss.
Others have supported Frederickson, saying she looks great and congratulating her on her hard work. Some think her dramatic weight loss was in order to win; now that she has, they suspect she’ll gain some of the weight back.
Frederickson insisted to reporters Wednesday that she’s healthy.
“I’m at the maintenance point now so I need to find some balance and make sure I work out and I eat healthy and make good choices 90 percent of the time,” she told TODAY after the finale. “I’m not sure (I’ll maintain this weight), but I plan to try new exercises and just continue on this path and see where that takes me.”
What do you think? Did Frederickson lose too much weight?
Marissa Harshman
I'm the health reporter for The Columbian newspaper in Vancouver, Wash. I started at The Columbian -- my hometown newspaper -- in September 2009. Reach me at marissa.harshman@columbian.com or 360-735-4546.