(LB01-03-25) Three-Month Weight Trajectory of Patients Who Transition From a Telehealth GLP-1 Treatment Program to a Behavioral Weight Management Program

Objectives: Despite indications of long-term use for obesity, patients are discontinuing GLP-1 medications for a variety of reasons. However, ceasing GLP-1 medications commonly results in weight regain. This observational study evaluated real-world weight changes in the first 3 months after discontinuing a GLP-1-based medical weight management program and transitioning  to behavioral-only weight management at WeightWatchers (WW).

Methods: Patients using GLP-1 medications in an obesity telemedicine program (WW Clinic) who transitioned to behavioral treatment without GLP-1 medication (WW Points) were followed for 13 weeks. Patients included in this analysis were WW Clinic members for at least 90 days and were last prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide and logged their weight within 30 days before canceling the GLP-1 program and transitioning to WW’s behavioral weight management program within 30 days.

Results: Records from 224 patients (92.4% female, mean age 52.0 (10.4)) were analyzed. Patients had a mean BMI of 37.2 kg/m² (SD: 7.3) when discontinuing their WW Clinic membership, before transitioning to behavioral treatment. On average, patients held a WW Clinic membership for 193.4 (SD: 83.6) days and had lost 10.8% (95% CI: -9.67, -11.86) of their body weight. After discontinuing their WW Clinic membership and transitioning to behavioral-only treatment, patients lost an additional 2.2% (95% CI: -5.3, 0.9) body weight, resulting in a total weight loss of 12.7% (95% CI: -17.6, -7.8) since initiating their WW Clinic membership. Notably, 63.8% (n=143/224) of patients lost further weight, and 36.2% (n=81/224) maintained their weight after transitioning to the behavioral program, with no patients experiencing weight regain 13 weeks later.

Conclusions: When supported by a structured evidence-based behavioral weight management program, patients avoided weight regain after discontinuing a GLP-1 based weight management program. This observational data is limited to identifying medication access within the WW Clinic program versus outside sources and future research should include alternative sources of care patients might seek when transitioning to behavioral treatment. These findings suggest that behavioral programs may offer an effective strategy for weight maintenance after GLP-1 discontinuation.

Funding Sources: WW International Inc.