WeightWatchers Is Now Prescribing Weight Loss Drugs

WeightWatchers has been through a lot of changes recently. In 2018 the popular weight loss program changed its name to WW with an updated mission: “Wellness That Works.” For the first time, that mission includes medications. Last spring, the company acquired Sequence, a digital health company, which allowed members to get prescriptions for weight loss drugs. Now the 60-year old company is launching WeightWatchers Clinic, which will give them access to telehealth weight loss management and doctors who can prescribe weight loss medications like semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound). [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] It’s a significant shift for a company that has long focused on behavior-based strategies: making changes in diet and exercise, utilizing a “points” system for tallying the caloric and nutritional value of different foods, and relying on a community of support through coaches and other members that meet regularly to keep dieters motivated. “We are no longer a consumer retail brand; we are a digital health company,” says WeightWatchers CEO Sima Sistani. “We are trying to lead the conversation around obesity and get people thinking about not just lifestyle interventions, but also clinical solutions like medications.” “If we get it right, it could be the end of diet culture,” Sistani says, “and diet can go back to literally meaning habitual nourishment.” ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate Source Type: news