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Yesterday, millions of Americans watched the Super Bowl – and as is tradition, millions more tuned in for the commercials. Along with 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 explaining how mainstream these therapies are now.
It is, in many ways, a cultural staple. GLP-1 drugs represent one of the most important advances in weight management in generations, fundamentally changing what is possible for people who are overweight or obese. They help regulate appetite and improve metabolic health, helping millions achieve significant weight loss. As they become more accessible and acceptable, the demand for GLP-1s will only continue to grow.
But what the ads don’t show—and what much of the broader conversation hasn’t seen—is what happens next. How can people maintain results over time? And what does a healthy, livable lifestyle look like, both on and off medication?
Weight Watchers has embraced the unique potential of GLP-1 by building a national team of clinicians who prescribe oral and injectable treatments through our Med+ program. But six decades of leadership in this industry have taught us that sustainable weight health does not come from a single intervention. It’s built over time—through daily choices, consistent support, and the work that goes into maintaining progress long after the initial enthusiasm may have worn off.
These weight-loss drugs have become an essential part of weight loss journeys for one in eight Americans, with millions more expected to start taking them in the coming months and years. But to open the door to the widespread use of GLP-1s, this next chapter will move from access on success – from “How do I take GLP-1s?” in “How can I LIVE of them and maintain results over time?”
An Ecosystem of Care
We know that GLP-1s deliver their most effective results when they are part of an integrated care model that combines the drug with other healthy behaviors around diet and exercise, not a prescription-only experience.
In fact, we found the difference between medication-only and medication-plus-behavior-support to be striking.
In our Med+ program, members prescribed GLP-1 medications lose an average of 21% of their body weight in 12 months, powerful real-world results. But medicine is not the whole story. In fact, we’ve seen members who pair medication with regular participation in our GLP-1 Success Program lose about 29% more weight over the same amount of time than those who don’t. Testament to the powerful combined effect of medicine with comprehensive support and tools to achieve better results.
Weight Watchers works—and the more members join, the better it works.
GLP-1s have shown a powerful ability to reduce cravings and improve blood sugar, redefining how we understand obesity. Weight gain is not a failure of willpower, it is driven by biology. And that doesn’t change when the drug stops, because in the real world, many people don’t expect—or want—to stay on these drugs forever. The research published in British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that while GLP-1s produced significant initial weight loss, many people regained the weight after stopping treatment.
The takeaway is clear: as powerful as these drugs are, GLP-1 provides their greatest impact when it’s part of something bigger than a prescription-only transactional access opportunity. Medicine alone cannot teach healthy habits. It can’t teach a person how to nurture their body, prioritize sleep, get fit, or manage stress—all important parts of long-term weight loss.
That’s why at Weight Watchers we view GLP-1s as transformation tools, but not standalone solutions. Building on our 60-year foundation, we have created an integrated model that pairs medicine with structured nutrition, behavior, and lifestyle support, so that our members can not only successfully reach their weight goals, but be in the best position to maintain them.
A Promising Future with Integrated Support
This is not a criticism of weight loss drugs—far from it.
GLP-1s have revolutionized what is 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 long-term effects won’t come from better drugs alone. It will come from the systems we build to support people over time.
The road ahead may be more complicated than the 30-second ads suggest, but the future of weight management has never looked better. When we pair medical innovation with compassion, community, and ongoing support, we move beyond short-term weight loss to sustainable health—creating results that will last people not just for one season, but for many Super Bowls to come.
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This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
