Parents' Guide to

Fat March

By Sierra Filucci, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Weight-loss challenge show can get a bit heavy.

TV ABC Reality TV 2007
Fat March Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Charlie The Cat
Charlie The Cat Parent of 5, 6, 7, 10, 10 and 17-year-old
December 17, 2011
age 10+

Tweens are Ok but Nothing Younger

6_Grandchildren
6_Grandchildren Parent of baby, 8, 13, 18+, 18+ and 18+-year-old
April 12, 2009
age 17+

INNAPROPRIATE!

HOW IS THIS CONSIDERED quote: "encouraging: unquote?! I mean, if I was an overweight child watching this... I would probably CRY ok, I would CRY!!! This is awful and humiliating to the overweight population of America. I mean, if it is supposed to be encouraging, why would they name the title "FAT MARCH"? That is like pointing out these people are fat. If you say an overweight child, would you call them fat? NO I WOULDNT! And in this movie, the coaches are yelling particularly at a young overweight child named Jimmy. Here is the supposively "encouraging pep talk" he was yelling, "RUN FAT BOY, RUN! DO THE FAT MARCH! SHAKE YOU $%#@&*$ FAT *$$%$ FOR *&*#@$$ SAKE!" This is why this movie is comepletely innapropriate for all ages Why: Fat Population of children will react: They will CRY! Non- Fat Population of children will react: They will laugh at the poor overweight children trying hard to acheive! (tisk-tisk)
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

FAT MARCH follows 12 overweight Americans as they walk more than 500 miles in order to lose weight, get healthy, and win a cash prize. The group is helped along by two very positive, fit trainers, as well as a medical team. In a cross between Celebrity Fit Club and Amazing Race, the contestants weigh in at the beginning of the 10-week program, then re-check the scales after each week of walking, camping, and physical challenges. With starting weights that range from 250 to 500+ lbs, the walkers all need some lifestyle changes to regain confidence and feel better. Most drop between 5 and 15 pounds per week, and everyone eagerly anticipates the weigh-ins. Along with the exercise component, trainers discuss healthy nutrition and hydration as part of losing weight safely and keeping it off.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

While the mood is generally positive, supportive, and hopeful, occasional problems between team members develop, and the show devotes a good chuck of screen time to these conflicts. Watching the contestants persevere and process the emotions connected to their body image and weight issues is inspirational, but there's a degree of voyeurism, too. Viewers might be tempted to judge the overweight folks, especially the ones who hit emotional walls during the journey. Several members struggle with the daily challenge of walking great distances. Some find the process emotionally challenging, while others struggle with medical issues. In just the first three days of the walk, two team members go to the hospital.

The calculation of the cash reward is slightly confusing. The pot is initially $1.2 million -- which would be $100,000 per contestant -- but for each person who drops out, the individual pots decrease by $10,000. This is designed to keep the team supportive of one another and is a welcome reversal from many cut-throat reality show competitions. But team members also have a chance at each stage to vote a team member off. This is where it gets a little fuzzy. By losing a team member, the winning pots still shrink, but some people feel it's a way to let a struggling member out gracefully, while others just don't want to be weighed down by a straggler. In all, though, the prize math probably won't be what turns you on or off of this show.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the realities of a world in which thin bodies are prized, fat ones are scorned, and deliciously unhealthy food is more widely available than ever before. Why is thin so in -- and how do the sculpted celebrity images we see in the media affect our perceptions of our own bodies? Why are chubby children teased -- and why do heavy people so often become the butt of jokes in television and movies? Families can also discuss the health of their own lifestyle. Does anyone in the family struggle with weight or nutrition? What about body image? Do family members diet or exercise? What kind of discussions have parents and teens had about body image and weight? What can family members do to have a healthier lifestyle?

TV Details

  • Premiere date: August 6, 2007
  • Cast: Jeff Bartsch
  • Network: ABC
  • Genre: Reality TV
  • TV rating: TV-PG
  • Last updated: February 28, 2022

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