RTE's Operation Transformation is again receiving criticism online after yesterday's episode showed one of the leaders cutting a piece of Toblerone in half.
Leader Kathleen Hurley, who is currently isolating after contracting Covid-19, was told by the show that she could swap one of her daily treats for 20g of chocolate.
Asking her husband to weigh a square of Toblerone, they discovered that it exceeded 20g and decided to cut it in half.
Some viewers were quick to criticise the scene with one taking to Twitter to brand it "pathetic".
They said: "Cutting a segment of Toblerone as the "weekly treat" is an effective approach to managing health and wellbeing? #operationtransformation needs to go."
Another said: "But 20g of chocolate a week is ridiculous especially if you need to cut a triangle of a Toblerone in half. Plus, the contents of every chocolate bar and brand has different ingredient levels."
One person wrote: "Cutting a piece of Toblerone in half because a diet tells you to is not normal eating does not help to improve your relationship with food."
While another said: "Weighing and halving a triangle of Toblerone is disordered. Encouraging this behaviour is blatantly encouraging a disordered relationship with food. Food restriction is not healthy, it’s misery. It’s a bit of chocolate, it’s not poison!"
Some fans jumped to the show's defence after yesterday's episode with one person saying: "Raising awareness of farming & isolation. Kathleen is a brilliant leader."
Operation Transformation has been a hot topic of conversation since the show's return was announced.
The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland Bodywhys released a statement about the show earlier this month saying that many of their service users reported that the show "has been and continues to be triggering for them, causes them distress and impacts negatively on their mental health."
The organisation previously told Dublin Live: "Although there are people who will find the show beneficial there are equally a number of people who may be negatively impacted by the focus on weight and shape."
In a statement, a spokesperson for RTE said: "Operation Transformation prides itself on bringing communities together and getting them up and out in order to improve both their physical and mental health."
They added: "In previous seasons the leaders have spoken about the long-standing positive influences this experience has given them and viewers have spoken about how the leaders inspired them to do the same."
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