Science continues to propel an increased understanding of how weight impacts our health and well-being, providing exciting and innovative options for treating overweight and obesity. Kicking off a new year offers a chance to reflect on the forward strides in weight management – and look ahead to five trends driving evolution in the industry.
Trend 1: The way society defines obesity
Weight is so much more than a number on the scale. We’re experiencing a transformative shift in how we define and treat obesity – medically and culturally. Science has firmly established obesity as a complex, chronic condition with far-reaching health consequences, including increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.1
The shift moves away from the perception of weight as the outcome of personal choices or willpower. This recognition opens the door to new opportunities for weight management programs that reduce the risk of obesity-related comorbidities and prevent disease progression.2
Trend 2: Increasing interest in weight management solutions through the workplace
Advancing science has created a transformational shift in the weight management support people want from their employers. Six in 10 consumers now view obesity as a chronic disease.3 As such, they expect their employee benefits program to support their weight health.
Sixty-nine percent of consumers would like to have access to weight health solutions through the workplace, such as weight management or weight‑loss support with access to behavior and lifestyle change programs and prescription weight‑loss drugs.3 According to research, employee interest in weight management benefits is high, ranking second behind only behavioral and mental health services.3
Trend 3: The continued game-changing impact of GLP-1s
GLP-1 medications have rapidly become an effective and popular treatment for obesity. A recent survey shows that one in eight American adults have used GLP-1s.4 The increasing utilization is based on the transformative results people are achieving. The latest generation of the medications is producing up to 21% weight loss,5 along with significant improvements in other health outcomes, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, improvements in sleep apnea, and enhanced quality of life.5
Increased demand and utilization have created cost challenges and drug shortages. Employers and health plans are responding by implementing thoughtful approaches to managing costs, including utilization, eligibility, cost-sharing, and integrated behavioral programs. At the same time, compounded GLP-1 medications can help address availability, health equity, and cost concerns. However, all compounded solutions are not the same. Many med spas and telehealth providers obtain compounded GLP-1s from 503A pharmacies, which are not subject to the same safety and manufacturing requirements as 503B outsourcing facilities that must source ingredients through reputable suppliers and meet specific production protocols.
Trend 4: Weight management as healthcare
Weight management has evolved beyond wellness perks and programs to become an integral component of whole-person healthcare benefits. As a result, evidence-based treatments, including behavioral therapy, weight-loss medications, and bariatric surgery, are increasingly covered by insurance.
Providing fully covered benefits that treat obesity as a chronic condition can improve access to science-backed weight management programs that meet the needs of a diverse employee population. Most importantly, our enhanced understanding facilitates personalized weight management that brings together the right combination of behavioral, clinical, and community care to enable sustainable results for each individual. This type of strategic approach to benefits produces better health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and enhances productivity.
Trend 5: Full-spectrum weight management
The increased awareness and recognition of weight’s role in whole-person health is driving a shift in employee expectations for healthcare benefits. Seven in ten people say they would like to have access to weight health solutions in the workplace, such as weight management or weight-loss support that includes access to behavior change programs and prescription weight-loss medication.6
As a result, employers and health plans are looking for solutions that help them make weight management an integral and accessible element of whole-person care. WeightWatchers brings a full-spectrum weight management platform to the table, offering individualized pathways based on true clinical need to prevent and treat overweight, obesity, and related cardiometabolic conditions like diabetes. The impact of our program is defined through our latest results:
● 21% average weight loss at 12 months: Members combining GLP-1 medications with support from WW Clinic7
● 56% more weight loss: Members taking oral weight-loss medications combined with our behavioral program compared to individuals taking medications alone8
● 7-pound average weight loss in one month: Members taking compounded semaglutide and supported by WW Clinic9
● Lower HbA1c by 0.75 at six months: Members participating in the WeightWatchers Diabetes Program10
Beyond the member results, our platform makes a difference for employers and health plans, too. Research shows that access to weight management benefits through the workplace helps to reduce long-term healthcare costs and utilization. For example, annual healthcare expenses drop by 20% when individuals with at least one chronic condition are able to lose weight and move from obesity to overweight.9 Plus, our employer clients can also realize savings through reduced costs related to absenteeism, disabilities, and worker’s compensation.10
For more insights about what the evolving weight management landscape means to your organization, please explore our latest white paper. Or request a meeting to learn more about our full-spectrum platform that spans behavioral, community, and clinical care.
1 Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, May 2023.
2 Fruh SM. Obesity: Risk factors, complications, and strategies for sustainable long-term weight management. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2017 Oct;29(S1):S3-S14. doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12510. PMID: 29024553; PMCID: PMC6088226.
3 WeightWatchers for Business-commissioned survey conducted by Dynata, July 2024.
4 Harris E. Poll: Roughly 12% of US Adults Have Used a GLP-1 Drug, Even If Unaffordable. JAMA. 2024;332(1):8. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.10333
5 GLP-1s: New research reveals health benefits beyond weight loss, WeightWatchers for Business webinar, August 2023.
6 WeightWatchers for Business-commissioned survey conducted by Dynata, July 2024.
7 In a study of 3,260 WW Clinic patients, patients that were prescribed a GLP-1 lost on average 21% of their body weight at 12 months. See important GLP-1 safety information.
8 Based on an ongoing 12 week WW randomized controlled trial among 101 members. This analysis included 46 members at 8 weeks who were prescribed Naltrexone and Bupropion. Study to be completed in 2025.
Apolzan JW, LaRose JG, Anton SD, Beyl RA, Greenway FL, Wickham III EP, Lanoye A, Harris MN, Martin CK, Bullard T, Foster GD. A scalable, virtual weight management program tailored for adults with type 2 diabetes: effects on glycemic control. Nutrition & Diabetes. 2023 Apr 6;13(1):3.
9 Based on internal data for 348 WW Clinic members prescribed compounded semaglutide as of the end of their first month. Compounded drug products have not been approved by the FDA, or reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or quality. See important safety information.
Thorpe K, Toles A, Shah B, Schneider J, Bravata DM. Weight Loss-Associated Decreases in Medical Care Expenditures for Commercially Insured Patients With
Chronic Conditions. J Occup Environ Med. 2021 Oct 1;63(10):847-851. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002296. PMID: 34138824; PMCID: PMC8478295.
10 Employees with obesity may have higher loss of work productivity than those with normal weight, Endocrine Society, June 2023.
