The new Weight Watchers kids app is a bad idea

It can not be denied that childhood obesity is a significant problem. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that one in five children in the United States is obese. Obesity is associated with a wide range of diseases and disorders, including heart disease, cancer and joint damage. It's in this context that Weight Watchers, recently renamed WW, has launched Kurbo, an app that promises to help kids lose weight by asking them to follow what they eat and consult regularly a health coach. At first glance, Kurbo may seem useful. But dig a little further, and there are many reasons to believe that it's actually quite dangerous.

"The second you say you're going to do something to fight childhood obesity, people will assume it's a good thing," says Kory Stotesbury, a child psychiatrist specializing in eating disorders. "But that's totally wrong," he says. "If Kurbo has the desired reach – millions of children – then it will be the initiation to eating disorders for many and people will die."

Stotesbury is not only dramatic: eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses. Studies have shown that between 5 and 18% of children and adolescents with eating disorders die from it.

And since children's brains are still developing, they are particularly susceptible to learned psychological disorders – those that are largely influenced by the environment and behaviors – such as anorexia and bulimia. Research suggests that weight loss programs in children can create or exacerbate disordered diet and body image issues. A study conducted in 2019 found that more than half of 18-25-year-olds who used what researchers called "healthy eating" and fitness apps reported negative feelings like guilt, loneliness. isolation and obsession. In a large study of 14 and 15 year olds, dieting was the most important predictor of the onset of a eating disorder. Those who followed a moderate diet were five times more likely to develop a eating disorder and those who exercised extreme restriction were 18 times more likely to develop a eating disorder than those who did not follow a diet. diet. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, youth who focus on healthy eating can be just as dangerous.

For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics published 2016 guidelines advising doctors and families not to discuss weight loss or diet with children, but rather to focus on healthy lifestyles.

"I would never go on a diet with a child," says Stotesbury, who has young children himself. "All that Weight Watchers has to do, which seems to be Kurbo's approach, is:" Eat what you want, but with careful monitoring and calculations, "he says. "And for me, it looks strangely like dieting."

Although Kurbo does not explicitly mention weight-loss diets on its website, the "Success Stories" tab displays images of children ages 8 to 17 with one of the following two statistics: how much weight they lost or how much their BMI dropped.

Kurbo uses a traffic light system – green for fruits and vegetables, yellow for lean proteins and cereals, and red for foods such as sweets and sodas – to allow children to track and record their food intake. . The company boasts that this system is "scientific" and relies on a program developed and tested by Stanford Health Care. But that's not entirely true. The traffic light system was first developed several decades ago by Len Epstein of the University of Buffalo. And while Stanford's pediatric weight loss program uses the traffic light system, there are crucial differences between the two approaches: the Stanford program has an entry screening system and consists of 25 meetings weekly sessions in person between groups of 12 families and health professionals.

Kurbo does not have face-to-face testing or appointments (where qualified professionals can more easily detect psychological distress) and uses only "certified" health coaches, which according to the Kurbo website, have no standard medical certificate. (I contacted Kurbo to ask about this and a representative told me that the coaches came from various backgrounds but that they were all "health enthusiasts, had to pass a thorough check their background and be trained on Kurbo's approach to behavior change. ")

None of this means that we should accept the rates of obesity in children as they are. But a questionable dressing solution will not help and could do more harm than good. It is not surprising that Kurbo is already facing skepticism and a hostile reaction on the Internet. Many similar applications were born and proliferated in Silicon Valley, where Kurbo goes to his home. And while the intentions of digital start-up culture may be noble, a common theme in health has emerged: captivating stories, lots of hype, few benefits, and significant potential for damage. Kurbo seems to fit this bill.

"Addressing childhood obesity safely and effectively will require nothing less than a redesign of culture and food policy change," says Stotesbury. "Not a diet app for kids."

Brad Stulberg (@Bstulberg) coaches on performance and well-being and writes column Outside Do Do Better. He is also the bestselling author of the books The paradox of passion and Peak performance. Subscribe to his newsletter here.