Parents' Guide to

Kurbo health coaching

By Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Controversial dieting program best used with caution.

Kurbo health coaching Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

Community Reviews

age 10+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 12+

Disappointing

DON’T WAIST YOUR MONEY. My 16 year old daughter tried this ‘red light green light’ system and it’s nonsensical. There’s no actual accountability to this program, HORRIBLE. Buy an elliptical instead of the monthly fee, you’ll be ahead!
age 12+

Terrible Support

It was not only the coach that didn’t respond it was customer support. Not until I request cancelation did I receive a reply. I simply can not justify the fees based on my experience with Kurbo. Excellent idea but failure on execution. Too bad because my child was excited and inspired to get healthy. This program failed on many levels, most disheartening is the failure to follow through for a child. Adults assume an element of risk with apps and weightloss but people that prey on children are a special kind of “bottom of the barrel”. I am quite surprised based on the esteem I previously had for WW.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Though this app presents itself as a tool to help establish healthy lifestyle habits, its focus on weight loss and dieting take it in a potentially dangerous direction. Kurbo health coaching's recent partnership with WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers, one of the largest diet corporations), its "success" story videos showing kids who have lost weight, and its weight tracker make it clear that the focus is on dieting and weight loss. Although weight loss may be a crucial part of making healthier lifestyle choices, many experts strongly advise against dieting, especially for kids. The pay model also sets kids up early to be consumers in the large diet and "health" consumer industry. It might do better if it focused on education around what foods are "green," "yellow," or "red," and why, not only because understanding nutrition is important, but also because those labels can be confusing (for instance cheese is red, but cheese sticks are yellow). In addition, it could help families make better food choices together rather than putting the onus on the kid to choose or reject certain foods while everyone else in the family may be making different choices. Without an extra education piece, the traffic light may also prove too simplistic for kids. That is, some red foods can actually be nutritious despite having high levels of fat, like avocados. If you choose to use it, the best way may be as a guide to help the entire family make better eating choices. Parents can be in charge of the app, ignore the weight tracking, and use the food classification system as a jumping off point for more conversations about health and balance.

App Details

  • Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
  • Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : applying information, decision-making, part-whole relationships, thinking critically, Self-Direction : achieving goals, goal-setting, self-assessment, set objectives, Emotional Development : persevering, self-awareness, Health & Fitness : balanced diet, exercise, fitness
  • Pricing structure: Free (Live coaching available within the app for $69/month, $189 for 3 months, or $294 for 6 months)
  • Release date: August 22, 2019
  • Category: Health & Fitness
  • Publisher: Kurbo Health
  • Version: 3.0.2
  • Minimum software requirements: iOS 10.0 or later; Android varies with device
  • Last updated: August 26, 2019

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