Expert slams ‘Operation Humiliation’

An obesity medical specialist has questioned the effectiveness of weight loss shows such as RTÉ’s Operation Transformation.

Referring to the television series as perhaps more of an “operation humiliation” than operation transformation, Dr Francis Finucane, consultant endocrinologist at University Hospital Galway, called for a culture change around how we treat obesity as a society.

While recognising the benefits of the show in raising awareness of obesity, Dr Finucane said the show perpetuated a culture of placing the burden of obesity on individuals rather than on society. Society portrays obese individuals as morally weak, lazy, greedy individuals and fails to place responsibility for the condition on society, he argued. He said around 61% of Irish adults are overweight or obese and efforts are required to address this.