My 600-lb Life

My 600-lb Life
Created byJonathan Nowzaradan
StarringYounan Nowzaradan, MD
ComposersBritton Beisenherz, David Hamburger
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons13
No. of episodes152 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Jack Tarantino
  • Cameo Wallace
  • Ron Bowman
  • Jeff Keels
  • Graham Davidson
  • Tom Mireles
  • Jonathan Nowzaradan
Producers
  • Leslie Appleyard
  • Amy Yerrington
  • Dawn Cooper Johnson
Production locationsHouston, Texas
CinematographyTaylor Rudd
Editors
  • Shrader Thomas
  • Jennifer Kovacs
  • Gareth Dawson
  • John Gehrke
  • Knox Hughes
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time
  • 45 minutes (seasons 1–4, excluding advertisements)
  • 85 minutes (season 5–13, excluding advertisements)
Production companyMegalomedia
Original release
NetworkTLC
ReleaseFebruary 1, 2012 (2012-02-01) –
February 12, 2025 (2025-02-12)

My 600-lb Life is an American reality television series that has aired on the TLC television network from 2012 to 2025. Each episode follows a year in the life of morbidly obese individuals, who usually begin the episode weighing at least 600 pounds (270 kg), and documents their attempts to reduce their weight to a healthy level. Update episodes, called "Where Are They Now?", feature one or more previous patients, picking up a year or more after their original episodes aired.

Patients are placed under the care of Houston surgeon Younan Nowzaradan (often referred to as "Dr. Now"), who first has them attempt losing weight on their own by following a strict diet, and then depending on the patient's progress may offer gastric bypass surgery or sleeve gastrectomy to further assist in weight loss.[1]

Concept

This series was originally a five-part miniseries involving four morbidly obese patients. Because of its popularity, new episodes were filmed, including a "Where Are They Now?" retrospective in Season 4 that follows up on previous patients to track their weight-loss journey months or years after bariatric surgery.[2]

In Season 1, patients were filmed over seven years (2004–2011). Beginning with Season 2, patients were filmed for only one year. In Season 8, certain patients' stories were filmed for only six months.

Beginning with Season 5, new episodes were two hours long instead of one hour. This was previously done with "Melissa's Story" (which was in two parts) and "Lupe's Story". Recap episodes titled "Supersized" and "Extended", which include additional facts and footage respectively, also aired during this season.

Series overview

Main article: List of My 600-lb Life episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
16February 1, 2012 (2012-02-01)March 26, 2012 (2012-03-26)
28January 7, 2014 (2014-01-07)February 25, 2014 (2014-02-25)
310January 7, 2015 (2015-01-07)April 8, 2015 (2015-04-08)
412January 6, 2016 (2016-01-06)May 18, 2016 (2016-05-18)
514January 4, 2017 (2017-01-04)April 16, 2017 (2017-04-16)
616January 3, 2018 (2018-01-03)May 9, 2018 (2018-05-09)
720January 2, 2019 (2019-01-02)May 15, 2019 (2019-05-15)
816January 1, 2020 (2020-01-01)April 15, 2020 (2020-04-15)
913December 30, 2020 (2020-12-30)March 24, 2021 (2021-03-24)
1015November 3, 2021 (2021-11-03)February 9, 2022 (2022-02-09)
118February 1, 2023 (2023-02-01)March 22, 2023 (2023-03-22)
127March 6, 2024 (2024-03-06)April 17, 2024 (2024-04-17)
137January 1, 2025 (2025-01-01)February 12, 2025 (2025-02-12)

Subject outcomes

Twenty-three patients have died since appearing on the show.


Patient name Season Episode Age Date Cause Sources Notes
Henry Foots 1 4 54 May 16, 2013 illness unrelated to weight [3][4] He suffered a medical episode one year prior to his death while working as a bus driver, killing a pedestrian.
Rob Buchel 6 8 41 November 15, 2017 heart attack [5] occurred during the filming of the show while staying in a skilled nursing facility in Houston
LB Bonner 6 6 30 August 2, 2018 suicide by gunshot [6]
Lisa Fleming 6 7 50 August 23, 2018 illness unrelated to weight [7]
Kelly Mason 7 13 41 February 15, 2019 heart failure [8] occurred during the filming of the show
Sean Milliken 4 11 29 February 17, 2019 cardiac arrest due to infection complications from poor hygiene [9]
James King 5 11 49 April 3, 2020 multiple organ failure due to obesity [10][11]
Coliesa McMillian 8 12 41 September 22, 2020 acute kidney failure and other complications related to weight loss surgery [12]
Renee Biran 6 11 56 May 14, 2021 undisclosed [13]
Gina Krasley 8 5 30 August 1, 2021 undisclosed [14]
Ashley Randall 1 5 40 October 2, 2021 sepsis, complications related to sepsis, and pneumonia [15][16]
Laura Ann Perez 3 7 48 November 17, 2021 undisclosed [17]
Destinee LaShaee 7 10 31 February 8, 2022 implied to be suicide [18][19] Although the cause of death was not revealed, LaShaee and her family had stated she struggled with depression and suicidal ideation, according to her brother Wayne Compton, who stated "I'm sorry you felt like you had no other choice".
Angela Gutierrez 7 15 49 March 21, 2023 undisclosed [20]
Larry Myers Jr. 10 13 49 June 13, 2023 heart attack [21]
Paul MacNeill 10 6 37 September 21, 2023 automobile accident [22]
Vianey Rodriguez 7 20 41 November 20, 2023 pneumonia complications [23][24]
Latonya Pottain 11 2 40 May 17, 2025 congestive heart failure as a result of cardiac arrest [25] She was in a rehab center when it occurred.
Dottie Perkins 4 5 44 June 14, 2025 unspecified long-term illness [26]
Lupe Samano 4 12 50 September 12, 2025 undisclosed [27]
Pauline Potter 3 3 62 November 27, 2025 automobile accident [28]
Charity Pierce 3 8 50 January 27, 2026 undisclosed [29] She was in hospice care due to medical conditions that were ongoing at the time of her death.
Lee Sutton 6 1 51 January 29, 2026 undisclosed [30]

Spin-offs

Beginning in January 2015, TLC began airing My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? The purpose of this spin-off was to update viewers on the weight loss journeys of people featured in previous seasons. As of 2024, nine seasons of the Where Are They Now? follow-ups have aired.

In 2016, a second spin-off, Skin Tight, began airing, showing people who struggle with the excess skin remaining after their weight loss successes. Dr. Nowzaradan appears along with other plastic surgeons.

Failed lawsuits

In 2018, several news outlets reported that several former patients of Dr. Nowzaradan who appeared on the series, as well as the family of one patient, L.B. Bonner, who died by suicide, had brought suits against the show's production company, Megalomedia, alleging negligence and claiming that the company failed to cover medical costs.[31][32] Plaintiff Destinee LaShaee, the first transgender participant to appear on the show, sued the show after claiming it did not provide the mental health treatments it promised. She died on February 8, 2022, after posting messages on social media "indicative of her depression and possibly suicidal thoughts."[18]

A total of ten lawsuits were filed, which were later consolidated into a single proceeding on May 20, 2020. Megalomedia requested summary judgment, which was denied via the judge not ruling on its motion within the time required under Texas law. Megalomedia then appealed its motion to the appellate court.[33]

On April 14, 2022, all ten of the lawsuits were dismissed by the 13th Appellate Court of Texas.[33][34][35][36]

References

  1. ^ King, Brittany (May 30, 2017). "My 600-Lb. Life Dr. Nowzaradan on Why It's Difficult for Patients to Keep the Weight Off". People. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  2. ^ "'My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?': Have They Kept The Weight Off?". The Huffington Post. March 27, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  3. ^ "Henry Foots Obituary". May 19, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2017 – via Legacy.com.
  4. ^ Calen, Tom (June 26, 2021). "What Really Happened To Henry Foots After My 600-Lb Life?". Looper.com. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  5. ^ Bever, Lindsey (March 2, 2018). "A 'My 600-lb Life' participant died while filming his fight to lose weight". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  6. ^ "'My 600-Lb Life' Star L.B. Bonner Dead At 30". August 3, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  7. ^ Hearon, Sarah (August 24, 2018). "'My 600-lb Life' Star Lisa Fleming Dead at 50". US Weekly. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  8. ^ "Kelly Mason Becomes Second 'My 600-LB Life' Subject To Die During Show's Filming, Suffering Heart Failure". Inqisitr. March 27, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  9. ^ "My 600-Lb. Life Star Sean Milliken Is Dead at Age 29". people.com. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  10. ^ "James D. King". Milner & Orr. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  11. ^ "My 600 Lb. Life Star James King Dies at Age 49". Peoplemag. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  12. ^ "'MY 600-LB. LIFE' STAR COLIESA MCMILLIAN DEAD AT 41". TMZ. September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  13. ^ "Renee Elizabeth Carlock Biran". Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  14. ^ Lawrence, Derek (August 6, 2021). "'My 600-lb Life' alum Gina Krasley dies at 30". EW.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  15. ^ "'My 600-lb Life': Ashley Randall Dead at 40". October 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "Ashley Randall Obituary 2021". Young's Daughters Funeral Home & Bereavement Center. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  17. ^ "Obituary Laura Ann Perez". Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Ring, Trudy (February 9, 2022). "Destinee Lashaee, 1st Trans Star on 'My 600-lb Life,' Has Died". www.advocate.com. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  19. ^ "Matthew Brock Ventress". Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "Angela Finece Gutierrez Obituary". charlesyoungfuneralhome.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  21. ^ Larry Myers Jr. of 'My 600-Lb. Life' Dead at 49
  22. ^ ‘My 600-Lb. Life’ Paul MacNeill Dead At 37
  23. ^ TLC’s ‘My 600-Lb. Life’ Season 7: Vianey Rodriguez Dead
  24. ^ "Obituary information for Vianey "Vanessa" Edith Rodriquez".
  25. ^ https://www.tmz.com/2025/05/19/my-600-lb-life-latonya-pottain-dead-cause-of-death/
  26. ^ https://www.wellsfuneralhome.net/obituaries/dottie-potts
  27. ^ "Lupe Samano Obituary".
  28. ^ https://people.com/pauline-potter-dead-my-600-lb-life-star-was-62-11868652
  29. ^ https://ew.com/my-600-lb-life-star-charity-pierce-dies-at-50-11894667
  30. ^ https://www.evansfh.com/obituaries/Lee-Daniel-Sutton?obId=47160583
  31. ^ "Three More 'My 600 Lb Life' Cast Members File Lawsuits Against Show's Production Company; Their Lawyer Says They "Intend to End This Show"". The Ashley's Reality Roundup. February 27, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  32. ^ Delott, Simon (February 28, 2020). "My 600-lb Life Sued by FOUR Former Stars: End This Show, NOW!". The Hollywood Gossip. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  33. ^ a b "Megalomedia, Inc.v. Maja Radnovic, Jeanne Covey, Barbara J. Fallaw, Dorothy 'Dottie' Perkins, Annjeanette Whaley, Alicia Kirgan, and Matthew Ventress aka Dentinee Lashaee". search.txcourts.gov. Texas Judicial Branch. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  34. ^ Pesquera, Adolfo. "Ex-Subjects of My 600-Lb Life Lose Big in Negligence Lawsuit". Texas Lawyer. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  35. ^ "Texas Panel Tosses Claims Against 'My 600-lb Life' Producer - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  36. ^ "Megalomedia, Inc. v. Radnovic, No. 13-20-00341-CV | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_600-lb_Life