Weight Loss for Kids? Thanks to WW, There ’s An App for That

Last February, Weight Watchers set off a firestorm when it announced it would offer its weight-loss program, for free, to teens ages 13 to 17. It angered many parents, as well as eating-disorders experts who felt it could give rise to obsessive and unhealthy behaviors in adolescents. WW—as the company rebranded itself last September—refused to shrink from the criticism, says CEO Mindy Grossman. “It actually strengthened our resolve and made us offensive.” Now, WW is doubling down: On Aug. 13, the company rolled out Kurbo by WW, a free nutrition and weight-loss app for kids as young as 8, and up to 17. The app will inevitably draw praise—for giving a new tool to the millions of U.S. children struggling with their weight—and outrage—for potentially furthering unhealthy body standards and eating behaviors—in equal measure. WW acquired the nutrition app Kurbo in 2018, and then spent a year developing it, adding features like breathing-exercise instructions, a Snapchat-inspired interface and multi-day streaks to encourage regular activity. Kids (or parents on their behalf) enter their height, weight, age and health goals, then begin logging what they eat. Kurbo ranks food choices using a Stanford University-developed “traffic-light” system: Green items are “go foods” that can be eaten freely; yellow foods should be consumed in moderate portions; and red foods should make kids “stop and think.” For...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Weight loss Source Type: news