NEW YORK, June 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ: WW) (“Weight Watchers”), the global leader in science-backed weight health, today announced that it is continuing its long-standing support of the American Heart Association by engaging members to enroll and participate in the Healthy Living BEYOND Weight™ Study. The American Heart Association’s Healthy Living BEYOND Weight Study is one of the most inclusive efforts to understand the lived experiences and long-term health outcomes of people living with obesity or those who are overweight.
Weight Watchers offers a comprehensive care model that supports people throughout their weight health journey, including those using GLP-1 medications, by combining medical support, proven nutrition, and behavior and lifestyle guidance to help achieve and maintain meaningful results. Through its collaboration with the American Heart Association, Weight Watchers is helping connect members with research opportunities that can deepen understanding of real-world weight health and help shape more effective, supportive care. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States, with weight and cardiometabolic health playing a critical role in long-term outcomes and overall longevity. Healthy Living BEYOND Weight aims to improve care, advance research, and elevate the voices of people living with weight challenges.
The Healthy Living BEYOND Weight™ Study explores real-world experiences of adults navigating weight and health challenges, including individuals using prescription weight-management therapies, weight loss surgery, and lifestyle-based approaches. The nationwide effort is designed to support the evolving reality of weight care today, helping researchers and healthcare professionals improve care and redefine what it means to live well.
“At Weight Watchers, we believe the future of health depends on rigorous science that works in the context of people’s lives- integrating medical care, sustainable lifestyle change, and community to deliver outcomes that hold up in the real world,” said Dr. Kim Boyd, Chief Medical Officer of Weight Watchers. “Our ability to support people across different treatment pathways, including GLP-1s, has generated meaningful, real-world results. Collaborating with the American Heart Association allows us to extend those insights beyond our platform and contribute to a broader understanding of how to improve care across the weight health journey.”
Weight Watchers’ approach is grounded in decades of evidence-based behavior-change research, delivered through an integrated care model that pairs medical treatment with behavioral support. Analyses of real-world member data show that among Weight Watchers Med+ members prescribed GLP-1 medication, those who regularly engaged in the behavioral support program lost significantly more weight than those who did not. At 1 month, engaged members lost 61.3% more body weight on average, and at 12 months, they lost 29.1% more on average, than those who used GLP-1s without corresponding behavioral support. These results underscore the importance and impact of pairing GLP-1 therapy with evidence-based programs designed to deliver better outcomes over time.*
Through its comprehensive care model, Weight Watchers provides access to board-certified clinicians, personalized coaching, community support, and purpose-built digital tools. Members receive nutrition guidance, progress and medication tracking, side-effect support, and strength-building programs to promote long-term metabolic and cardiovascular health. With millions of members and decades of real-world outcomes, Weight Watchers brings unmatched scale and insight to advancing weight health beyond any single intervention. Through its collaboration with the American Heart Association’s Healthy Living BEYOND Weight™ Study, Weight Watchers is helping to ensure that research reflects the full spectrum of real-world weight health experiences.
“Connecting with Weight Watchers allows us to reach people whose lived experiences are essential to understanding the real‑world impact of overweight and obesity,” said Mariell Jessup, M.D., FAHA, chief science and medical officer for the American Heart Association. “Weight Watchers is a trusted organization with a strong national community, and their support in sharing information about the Healthy Living BEYOND Weight™ Study helps ensure that more people have the opportunity to contribute to research that can improve care for all communities.”
The Healthy Living BEYOND Weight™ Study is open to U.S. adults. To learn more or enroll, visit heart.org/GoBEYOND.
ABOUT WEIGHT WATCHERS
Weight Watchers is the global leader in science-backed weight management, offering an integrated support system built for the GLP-1 era that combines scientific expertise, medication, cutting-edge technology, and human connection. With more than 60 years of experience, Weight Watchers is the most studied commercial weight management program in the world, delivered through its No. 1 U.S. doctor-recommended weight-loss program. Its holistic, personalized approach also includes U.S.-based clinical interventions and access to GLP-1 medications when clinically appropriate, and a global network of coaches and community support. Since 1963, the company has led with science to deliver its members the personalized support they need to reach and sustain their goals. Members can access these solutions directly, or through Weight Watchers for Business’ full-spectrum platform for employers, health plans, and payers. In a landscape crowded with contradictory advice, isolating apps, and one-size-fits-all solutions, Weight Watchers offers a proven path forward that is rooted in research, grounded in empathy and designed to help every member feel better in their body and live a longer, healthier life. For more information, visit weightwatchers.com.
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*Both outcomes were based on internal analyses of self-reported member data that has not been independently verified.