A healthier approach to weight management

The healthy way to HealthyWeight

Research consistently shows that anti-obesity medicine works best when it is supported by structural lifestyle changes. Without that support, most people stop taking medicine within four months, before the full benefit has had time to take hold.

Vitality's HealthyWeight programme has been designed to support Vitality members through their entire weight-management journey. From food shopping to cooking and meal preparation, members receive daily encouragement and personalised support from their very own dietitian, helping them to stay on track to achieving their weight management goals.

The HealthyWeight programme provides personalised nutrition and lifestyle support. For members who wish to explore whether weight-loss medicine may be clinically appropriate, this may sit alongside a separate clinical assessment pathway. If members are already on weight-loss medicine prescribed by their own doctor, HealthyWeight can support their treatment with ongoing lifestyle support to help build healthier habits, lose weight safely and sustainably, and keep it off for the long term. Medical advice, diagnosis, prescribing and care remain independent of the HealthyWeight programme.

Why dietitian coaching matters

Results from the Vitality HealthyWeight programme show that regular dietitian coaching can help members make healthier food choices and achieve meaningful weight loss.

Six months after joining, members who engaged with their dietitian purchased more healthy food than members who were not on HealthyWeight. They spent more on legumes, vegetables and fruit, while shifting their grocery baskets away from less-healthy choices without increasing their overall grocery spend.

Members who remained engaged in the HealthyWeight programme showed progressive weight loss. By month six, average weight loss was 6.1%, and 24% of members had lost more than 10% of their starting body weight. Similar outcomes were observed among members in the medicated HealthyWeight pilot programme, reinforcing the value of dietitian support alongside weight-loss medication.

Overall, the findings show how dietitian coaching can help members turn guidance into healthier everyday choices:

• Healthy food spend increased by 46%, while spend on less-healthy food decreased by 24.5%, without an increase in overall grocery spend.
• Members who stayed engaged achieved an average weight loss of 6.1% by month six, with almost one in four losing more than 10% of their starting weight.

HealthyWeight treats weight as a long-term health condition, not a short-term prescription. Dietitian coaching supports members to build healthier habits and sustain progress alongside appropriate medical care.