 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Too Fat for 15: Fighting Back
- Style Network
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Kids work hard to combat obesity in frank reality show.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this reality series -- which follows tweens and teens at exclusive weight-loss boarding school Wellspring Academy -- delves into the kids' private and sometimes troubling emotions about being obese and their struggle to lose weight. Discussions about the physical and emotional causes for weight gain are discussed, including low-self esteem, divorce, death, and addiction. The series focuses on the importance of long-term healthy lifestyle changes rather than "quick fix" dieting, but it doesn't spend a lot of time on the idea of feeling good about yourself no matter what you look like.
What's the story?
TOO FAT FOR 15: FIGHTING BACK follows five obese young people between the ages of 11 and 17 who attend the Wellspring Academy of the Carolinas -- an exclusive weight-loss boarding school where they learn healthy eating habits, participate in structured exercise regimes, and take part in group therapy and counseling sessions led by behavioral coaches. They also take a full load of academic courses. Throughout the process, the tweens and teens work on the physical and psychological challenges they face as obese people, which sometimes include confronting the deep emotional factors that contribute to their dangerously unhealthy weight. It isn’t easy, but they hope that the time they spend at Wellspring will put them on the path to a better life.
Is it any good?
Too Fat for 15 offers an intimate look at the difficult journey that these young adults are taking toward changing their lives. Wellspring’s acclaimed immersion program is designed to isolate students from a world that fuels their unhealthy habits in order to help them make better lifestyle choices; as a result, the show is as much as about the program's success as it is about the triumphs and setbacks of the kids participating in it.
Watching the kids struggle through Wellspring's program isn’t easy, but overall the underscores how their struggles will lead to a healthier and happier life. It also highlights the complicated factors that led to their weight gain in the first place, including fatty food consumption, a sedentary lifestyle, low self-esteem, and addiction. Their efforts to reclaim their lives are inspirational, but the show acts as a sobering reminder of the consequences of the obesity epidemic plaguing America’s children.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the show's messages. What is it saying about both body image and weight loss? How does the media contribute to people’s weight gain/loss?
Why do you think these kids agreed to share their stories on television? Do you think their stories will help inspire others?
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- Teens & kids
Kid, 12 years old
August 15, 2010
AGE
- -
A very, very amazing show. This is definitely a good show and the "participants" are great role models.
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Kid, 12 years old
August 15, 2010
AGE
the teens on this show are trying very hard to lose weight. thats why i really enjoy this show.
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AGE
I love Taneisha
I love the show, especially Taneisha. That young lady is such an iinspiration. She is focused and motiivated to do well and lets nothing get her down. I think it should show us as parents/grandparents that state of bad health that our young people are in. We want them to outlive us so we need to be able to set a positive environment for our kids NOW to end childhood obesity.
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AGE
not pleased with message
I watched the show where the two oys were reprimanded for throwing things at each other. instead of giving one kid 1 week with nothing to do, how about some supervised exercises> or a paper on how this experience will help later in life?
sitting alone for a week is a bad message for doing nothing. nothing!The title is self defeating.
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AGE
Watch kids triumph over obesity
A great docuseries that chronicles the ups and downs (mostly ups) at a weight loss boarding school. Instead of just treating the weight issue, Wellspring staff treat the whole child.
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | Style Network |
| Cast: | Billy Porter, Daniel Kirschenbaum, Susan Borgman |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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