If you're shocked by the morbid obesity on TLC's reality TV show "My 600-lb Life" just wait for Season 6. The new season, beginning Jan. 10, shows 17 patients seeking weight loss surgery. That's a record breaker in many ways and proves that more folks at younger ages are getting more overweight than ever before. And that's only chapter one of the horror story.

More people younger and fatter than ever

"My 600-lb Life" has featured some pretty disturbing situations. Amber Rachdi and Sean Milliken weighed 650-850 pounds in their early twenties. Dr.

Younan Nowzaradan had to boot opiate addict and bully Steven Assanti out of the program. Reality television viewers watched "half-ton twins" Brandi and Kandi as Kandi nearly died of obesity. But Season 6 shows that not only are more people obese, they are younger, heavier, and more delusional than ever.

Teen eats herself to death like mom

TLC may see its first teen gastric bypass surgery patient and that's a frightening new low. Last season on "My 600-lb Life," a 19-year-old hoped for bariatric surgery. TLC's 11-year-old star Honey Boo Boo wanted gastric bypass after Mama June had hers. That's the dysfunctional thinking of obesity--that many people, including kids, would risk a dangerous surgery rather than change their behavior and treat their food addiction.

Childhood obesity begins at home

The juvenile obesity rate is skyrocketing and has been for over a decade. Is it nature or nurture? Many of the patients on "My 600-lb Life" blame genetics. They claim a "fat gene" makes them unable to lose weight. However, in every reality television episode, these morbidly obese folks are shown stuffing in giant mouthfuls and gorging on gasp-worthy portions of junk food.

YouTube commenters have said it's like watching elephants feed. So Dr. Now makes them look at the environment component: diet, sedentary lifestyle, excuse-making, and enabling caregivers.

Can bariatric surgery save them?

That's the big, fat question. The earlier obesity is treated the easier it is to reverse. And there's hope of that this season.

One self-aware girl admitted that though she sees her mom eat herself to death, she follows the example. But she knows that only she can stop this cycle. The star pupils of "My 600-lb Life" have proved she's correct. Laura Perez (now Angelika Pacheco), Christina Phillips, and Nikki Webster (Gray) beat their eating disorder. Check out these celebrities on Facebook shows since the weight loss.
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