Parents need to know that the teen participants in this weight-loss challenge go through a lot of emotional drama as they struggle with radical changes to their eating and lifestyle habits. They tearfully discuss how their weight interferes with their enjoyment of life, as well as the factors that contribute to their problems with food (family strife, feelings of isolation, stress, etc.). Although the show includes lots of scenes of the teens struggling through exercises like running and push-ups, the overall mood is hopeful rather than judgmental, and the entire cast seems truly vested in the teens' success. Even better, there's little indication of competition among the teens themselves, who celebrate each other's victories as much as their own.

Families can talk about how the media affects people's own body image. Do you think there's such a thing as the "perfect" body? Can the average person hope to achieve it? How do the images you see on television and in magazines make you feel about your own appearance? What aspects of yourself are your favorites? Families can also use this opportunity to discuss healthy eating and exercise habits and to make adjustments to their own lifestyles for better health.