Client Success Spotlight: Tailored Program Earns Results and Recognition
See how a tiered, population-specific weight management program helped 1199SEIU members achieve sustainable metabolic health outcomes—while earning...
See how a tiered, population-specific weight management program helped 1199SEIU members achieve sustainable metabolic health outcomes—while earning industry recognition for leadership.
Today’s organizational leaders face a universal challenge: how to support workforce health in a way that meets unique population needs and produces tangible results. Since 2023, Weight Watchers has worked alongside the 1199SEIU Benefits and Pension Funds team, led by Donna Rey, Executive Director and CEO, to deliver an accessible weight management program designed around the needs of the country’s largest healthcare union's population.
A tiered approach to weight health risk
Any large and diverse population comes with real-world complexity that can’t be addressed by a one-size-fits-all weight health strategy. In the healthcare industry, workers face different levels of risk and barriers to care, including long shifts, high stress, and limited time for self-care.
With these realities in mind, 1199SEIU and Weight Watchers implemented a tiered weight management program to address different health risk levels including tailored – and covered – support for members with diabetes or prediabetes.
Along with Weight Watchers’ proven behavioral weight care, personalized coaching, and innovative app and digital tools, 1199SEIU customized its program by offering private virtual workshops led by a dedicated WW coach and creating a special “1199ers” Connect group to help reinforce a feeling of community among its own members.
The results: Moving the needle on metabolic health
Since the program’s launch in January 2023, 1199SEIU members have collectively achieved:
Significantly, members who lost weight achieved or maintained at least a 3% reduction – a threshold where improvements in blood sugar and other cardiometabolic markers begin.
The most compelling evidence of metabolic health improvement shows up in BMI category shifts, with 1199SEIU members moving from higher-risk obesity levels into healthier ranges.
Most importantly, the group’s results are sustainable.
The members’ average weight loss of 9% at the one-to-two-year mark increases to 11.4% after two to three years, proving the program effectively supports maintenance over time.
Leading the way on weight health
The results from the 1199SEIU program highlight what’s possible when organizations prioritize weight management benefits tailored to the needs of their populations. By removing barriers for high-risk populations and building in meaningful, proven support, 1199SEIU’s program delivered real – and lasting – impact, helping to foster a healthier workforce.
Celebrating Donna Rey and 1199SEIU
On February 12, 2026, Donna Rey earned the "Outstanding Leadership in Workplace Health" award presented by the Northeast Business Group on Health for 1199SEIU's creative and impactful approach to providing healthcare benefits and support for its 450,000 members, retirees and their families. Weight Watchers for Business is proud to congratulate Donna Rey and 1199SEIU on the achievement. And we’re proud to have played a part in helping the organization address one of its most pressing challenges – metabolic health.
Ready to explore how a tailored weight health program could support your population? Learn more about partnering with Weight Watchers for Business.
