The Decision to Rebrand and Controversy Around WW’s Weight Loss App for Kids
As of 2018, Weight Watchers rebranded to become WW. The new company tagline, “Wellness That Works,” highlights WW’s shift from purely weight loss to overall health and wellness. In addition to weight loss, WW now offers programs that encourage physical activity and help develop a positive mindset, such as fitness workouts and five-minute coaching audios that are accessible in the app. (3) Controversy sparked in August 2019 with the launch of Kurbo by WW, a weight loss program for children and teens ages 8 to 17. Kurbo was marketed as a family-based behavior-change program and used a traffic-light system to help kids make better choices when it comes to food. Parents and eating disorder experts criticized the program, arguing it could cause or exacerbate unhealthy eating habits in young people. “I don’t like to overly focus on a child’s weight and rarely recommend kids lose weight, but rather identify areas in their life where they may have an opportunity to improve health behaviors,” says Natalie Muth, MD, pediatrician and author of Family Fit Plan. “I don’t think the approach was developed to be a diet, but rather an approach to help families make lifestyle changes,” she says. However, the app’s goals weren’t the only issue with its launch. In March 2022, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against WW and Kurbo for illegally collecting children’s personal data without proper parental consent. The settlement ordered WW to delete the data of children under 14 and pay a $1.5 million penalty. Every food has a point value, so no food is off-limits as long as you stay within budget. (4) No matter your budget, each user has access to a list of over 200 “ZeroPoint” foods that you don’t have to measure or track. Some ZeroPoint foods include eggs, fish, fruits, and even popcorn. (5) “It promotes the inclusion of a wide variety of foods; therefore it supports balance — all foods are considered ‘legal,’ to avoid feeling deprived,” says Susan Kraus, RD, of the Institute for Weight Management in Hackensack, New Jersey. With any WW point budget, there are no “must-eat” foods — the participant is in the driver’s seat when it comes to making menu decisions. (7) WW even has a plan tailored for those with diabetes to help them lose weight and lower blood sugar. Kraus adds that the combination of tracking points, making healthy food choices, and increasing activity levels will help the participant lose weight. “WW is an excellent program because it focuses on portion sizes, is well balanced, and puts the responsibility on the participant to make the right choices, which is really where it belongs, because you are responsible for your success,” says Barbara Schmidt, RD, a nutritionist in private practice in New Canaan, Connecticut. “You need to be able to live and eat different foods. You can have that bagel or the dessert, just not every day.” Research has also shown the WW diet to be effective for people with type 2 diabetes. One study from 2017 found almost half of the participants referred to WW had a reduced risk of developing diabetes or had blood sugar levels return to normal. (9) Ans a 2013 study showed those on WW were 8.8 times more likely to drop 10 percent of their body weight after six months compared with those who took a self-help approach using weight loss printouts and websites. (10) What’s more, researchers found participants lost more weight the more they engaged with WW tools — specifically meetings, the WW website, and the program’s mobile app. One study cited in the meta-analysis found people with a support system in place were 37 percent more likely to maintain their weight loss compared with those who tried to do it alone. (11) WW Workshops (formerly known as meetings) are available seven days a week at thousands of locations across the United States, where people can go to connect with coaches, guides, and other members. WW Workshops are roughly 30 minutes long, and cover a range of topics related to health, wellness, and weight loss. For example, here’s a snapshot of the program pricing: (12)
Core (starting at $10 per month) offers a personalized weight loss plan, app access, a members-only social network, and 24/7 online chat support from a WW coach.Premium (starting at $25 per month) offers all Core benefits plus in-person or virtual WW Workshops for face-to-face accountability.
To get price estimates based on where you live, visit the WW website. The reason? It’s convenient and easy to stick to on a day-to-day basis because the points system gives participants the flexibility to choose what to eat and when. The WW app or website can quickly tell participants how many points are in a food (the database contains information on about 300,000 foods), or participants can create a meal from one of the website’s 12,000-plus recipes. Breakfast Irish steel-cut oats with pomegranate and pistachios Lunch Honey mustard chicken salad whole-wheat sandwich and 1 ounce of pretzels Snacks Parmesan-herb popcorn and apple slices drizzled with a ½ tablespoon of honey and cinnamon Dinner Asian fish and veggie bowl “It really encourages the right foods — fruits and vegetables, lean protein — and they really work on trying to get people to eat less sugar and less unhealthy fats,” she says. Another benefit to WW, and one thing that sets it apart from fad diets, is that no foods are off limits. “I love that because there’s so much psychology behind telling someone, ‘Oh, no, you can’t have ice cream for six months after tonight,’ and then they’re driving to the grocery store and picking up a party pail,” Weinandy says. The allure of fad diets is that they can help you shed pounds fast, but rapid weight loss like this often comes at a price. Not only do many fad diets eliminate or limit nutrients essential to overall health — for example, the keto diet severely limits carbohydrates, an important macronutrient — but once that short-term diet stops, people tend to regain weight quickly. (15) Fad diets can also be dangerous for anyone who has had or may be prone to eating disorders. The general rule of thumb? Steer clear of diets that sound too good to be true or promise rapid weight loss. “I don’t know that everyone who’s leading the meetings will give the best advice,” Weinandy says. Depending on your diet personality, there could be additional drawbacks. While the flexibility of the program is welcome to some, for others it may cause too much temptation, says Kraus. “Some people find that having too much flexibility might cause too much temptation. If they indulge in something not considered ‘on plan’ in their mind, this might cause them to overeat that particular food,” says Kraus, adding that this type of dieter would be better off following a very defined diet to stay on track. She also worries about individuals abusing the points system; even if people are losing weight, it doesn’t always mean they’re developing healthier habits. Because people following WW have no restrictions on what they can eat, it could give the impression it’s okay to eat a sugary dessert every night, for example. “Some people might use the points for less healthful foods — for example, desserts in place of a lunch,” explains Kraus. “So they might still succeed in losing the weight, but at the expense of choosing less nutritionally balanced foods.” A study from 2017 found obese adults who followed WW for one year lost more weight than those who stuck with the program for 12 weeks or those who used self-help materials. (16) In the study, the 52-week group lost just under 15 pounds on average over the course of the year, which shows the plan won’t result in drastic weight loss overnight. The researchers also checked in with study participants one year later, and found that while all groups had regained some weight, the 52-week WW group was able to maintain their weight and fat loss the best. (16) “WW might be slower because it’s based on realistic living and portion control,” Schmidt says. “It may not give an obese person initial gratification because it’s not as restrictive, but chances are you can stay on it and live with it much longer [than other diet plans].” There are so many diet plans out there, it can be difficult to know which will be successful and, more important, sustainable for you. Low-carb diets have proven to be effective for short-term weight loss, but are very difficult to maintain long-term. While there’s no one-size-fits-all diet out there, the ones that are most successful in the long run focus on overall lifestyle changes — like eating a healthful diet, engaging in physical activity, and getting enough sleep — implemented slowly and steadily over time, as outlined in a study from 2018. (17)
The Takeaway: Will the WW Diet Help You Lose Weight?
WW has a track record of successfully helping people lose weight, mainly because it’s easy to follow, flexible, doesn’t make any foods off limits, and offers a support system to keep participants on course. Still, you shouldn’t expect to see dramatic changes on the scale immediately. But if you follow the system (and don’t abuse it by eating dessert instead of a well-balanced meal), you likely will see pounds come off and your health improve as well. The biggest takeaway is that the program teaches healthy eating that you can realistically stick with long term. “I tell every single person looking to lose weight that whatever you do to lose weight, make sure it’s reasonable so it’s sustainable,” Weinandy says. Additional reporting by Julie Davis Cantor, Moira Lawler, and Brianna Majsiak.
