Yesterday, millions of Americans tuned in to watch the Super Bowl – and as is tradition, millions more tuned in for the commercials. Alongside the usual ads for beer, snack foods, and food delivery, a new product took center stage: GLP-1 weight loss medication, marketed in several high-profile campaigns that made clear just how mainstream these therapies have become.
It was, in many ways, a cultural milestone. GLP-1 medications represent one of the most significant advances in weight management in generations, fundamentally reshaping what is possible for people living with overweight or obesity. They help regulate appetite and improve metabolic health, aiding millions in achieving meaningful weight loss. As they become more accessible and accepted, the demand for GLP-1s will only continue to grow.
But what those ads don’t show—and what much of the broader conversation still overlooks—is what happens next. How do people sustain results over time? And what does a healthy, livable lifestyle look like, both on and off medication?
Weight Watchers has embraced the incredible potential of GLP-1s by building a nationwide team of clinicians who prescribe both the oral and injectable treatments through our Med+ program. But six decades of leadership in this industry has taught us that lasting weight health doesn’t come from a single intervention. It is built over time—through daily choices, consistent support, and the work that goes into sustaining progress long after initial motivation may fade.
These transformative medications have become a vital part of weight loss journeys for one in eight Americans already, with millions more expected to begin taking them in the months and years ahead. But as the door opens to widespread use of GLP-1s, this next chapter will shift from access to success – from “How do I get GLP-1s?” to “How do I live on them and sustain results over time?”
An Ecosystem of Care
We know that GLP-1s deliver their most impactful results when they are part of an integrated model of care that combines medication with other healthy habits around diet and exercise, not a prescription-only experience.
In fact, we have found the difference between medication-only and medication-plus-behavioral- support to be striking.
In our Med+ program, members prescribed GLP-1 medications lost an average of 21% of their body weight at 12 months, powerful real-world results. But medication isn’t the whole story. In fact, we see members who pair medication with regular engagement in our GLP-1 Success Program losing about 29% more weight over the same timeframe than those who don’t engage. Testament to the powerful combined impact of medication with comprehensive support and tools to achieve even better results.
Weight Watchers works—and the more members engage, the better it works.
GLP-1s have demonstrated a powerful ability to reduce cravings and improve blood sugar, reshaping how we fundamentally understand obesity. Weight gain is not a failure of willpower, it is driven by biology. And that doesn’t change when medication stops, because in the real world, many people don’t expect—or want—to stay on these medications forever. Research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that while GLP-1s produce substantial initial weight loss, many people regain weight after discontinuing treatment.
The takeaway is clear: as powerful as these medications are, GLP-1s deliver their greatest impact when they are part of something larger than a prescription-only transactional moment of access. Medication alone cannot teach healthy habits. It can’t teach someone how to nourish their body, prioritize sleep, build strength, or manage stress—all essential components of long-term weight health.
That is why at Weight Watchers we view GLP-1s as transformational tools, but not standalone solutions. Building on our 60-year foundation we have created an integrated model that pairs medication with structured nutritional, behavioral, and lifestyle support, so our members are not only able to successfully meet their weight goals, but be best positioned to maintain them.
A Promising Future with Integrated Support
This is not a critique of weight loss medications—far from it.
GLP-1s are reshaping what’s possible in weight management at a time when nearly 75% of American adults live with overweight or obesity. But obesity is a complex, chronic condition—and lasting impact will not come from better drugs alone. It will come from the systems we build to support people over time.
The path forward may be more complex than 30-second ads suggest, but the future of weight management has never been more promising. When we pair medical innovation with compassion, community, and ongoing support, we move beyond short-term weight loss to lasting health—creating outcomes people can live with not just for a season, but for many Super Bowls to come.
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This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
