I REFER to your paper’s report, “83 kilo loser wins big” (The Star March 10.) and wonder whether the human body can be subjected to the torture of losing 53% of body weight (83kg) over a period of five months, leaving the winner, “King David”, with a weight of only 74kg?

The “King” worked eight to 10 hours a day punishing his poor body, leaving it a gaunt image of himself, as I and so many viewers observed, comparing him at the end of the three months at the Biggest Loser campus, and the David on Tuesday night. In the picture of him in The Star, he looked aged, like he was at least 50.

David had claimed that, “he was willing to do whatever it took to win . . . even to go to the extreme, it was worth it.” Is RM350,000 and a Renault really worth it? What will be the long-term consequences of this five-month punishment on his body? What kind of mental damage could King “1st Biggest Loser Asia” David suffer? We may never know, unless the producers (hopefully with their doctors) do follow-up visits. Do we need this sort of reality show for our youths to emulate? My God, what will they do next to chase the advertising dollar?