A new study has found that most competitors on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” leave the show with a slower metabolism, making it more difficult to keep off the pounds. The National Institutes of Health study finds that participants come out of the weight-loss reality competition burning about 500 fewer calories a day than expected. What’s more, the contestants who drop the most weight see the greatest slowing of their metabolisms. Researchers say most contestants experience substantial weight gain in the years after the show. The news isn’t all bad for “Biggest Loser” competitors, however. The study notes that participants have been quite successful at long-term weight loss when compared to people in other intervention programs aimed at shedding weight. The study is published this month in the journal Obesity.
