Weight loss camp


A fat camp, weight loss camp, or fat farm is a type of residential program where people who are overweight or obese go to lose weight through exercise and lifestyle changes.

Overview

The goal of the camps is to help the guests lose weight, raise their self-confidence and self-image, and teach them healthy life skills and choices. These camps provide weight-loss results of two to five pounds per week on average. However, the more overweight a guest, the more they generally lose on these programs. The effectiveness of these summer camps varies widely and usually depends on the quality of the individual program and biochemistry of the attending campers.
Newer programs not only focus on weight loss, but on changing behavior through a combination of training on self-regulatory behaviors and cognitive-behavioral therapy, as well, to ensure that weight loss persists long after campers return home. Most experts believe these are key elements of an effective program.
In addition to weight loss, successful programs can decrease body shape dissatisfaction and increase self-esteem in adolescents.

In popular culture

Multiple films and television shows have featured programs such as these, including:

Films