What Obesity Care Programs Need to Know About WHO’s New GLP-1 Guidelines
3 min read
The World Health Organization recently released its first global guideline on the use of GLP-1–based therapies for obesity, a milestone that signals a major shift in how health systems worldwide should approach long-term obesity care.
For obesity programs, digital-health organizations, and chronic-care providers, the message is clear: GLP-1s can be valuable tools, but only when embedded within a structured framework of behavioral support, lifestyle intervention, and ongoing monitoring.
Here’s a guide to what programs need to understand and how to prepare.
1. WHO Defines Obesity as a Chronic, Relapsing Disease, Not a Short-Term Problem or Fix
The guideline reinforces a position many clinicians already share: obesity requires ongoing management similar to other chronic diseases.
This means obesity programs must prioritize continuity, long-term engagement, and structured monitoring, not episodic care. Many times patients see weight loss as a goal that they reach and that concludes their obesity care journey. The WHO emphasizes the ongoing nature of obesity as a disease, and obesity care as a necessity.
2. GLP-1s Are Recommended Conditionally and Only as Part of Comprehensive Care
WHO does not recommend medication alone. The guideline emphasizes:
GLP-1 therapies should be considered as one component of a broader care plan.
Treatment decisions should reflect patient context, preferences, and access.
Programs must integrate behavioral interventions and lifestyle support alongside medication.
For organizations delivering obesity care, this signals a need to strengthen or formalize their behavioral-support models, including coaching, education, medical nutrition therapy (MNT), activity support, and digital engagement.
3. Behavioral Support Is Essential-Not Optional
The guideline places intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) at the center of obesity care. Programs should ensure they can offer:
Structured lifestyle guidance
Goal setting and personalized plans
Coaching or counseling pathways
Tools for sustained behavior change
Ongoing check-ins and accountability
Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) when needed
This isn’t merely additive, it is foundational to responsible GLP-1 prescribing and to long-term patient outcomes.
6. Monitoring Frameworks Must Become Core Infrastructure
One of the most operationally important implications for obesity programs is WHO’s emphasis on continuous monitoring and follow-up.
Because obesity is chronic and GLP-1 outcomes evolve over time, programs need systems that can:
Track weight, body composition, and metabolic markers
Detect early signs of weight regain or treatment non-response
Support long-term engagement after dose changes or discontinuation
Ensure care teams can intervene proactively and remain the decision makers
This is where digital health infrastructure becomes essential. Connected devices, remote monitoring, and automated data flows make it possible to support thousands of patients consistently without adding extensive labor burden to clinical teams.
7. What Obesity Programs Should Do Next
To align with WHO’s guidance and strengthen patient outcomes, programs can begin by:
Evaluating their behavioral-support offering – ensuring it is structured, consistent, and accessible.
Implementing device-based monitoring– enabling ongoing, objective tracking of patient progress without the barriers of in-office care.
Ensuring continuity models beyond initial weight loss – including maintenance and relapse-prevention.
Building customizable data workflows that let care teams intervene early, efficiently, and at scale, while keeping the decision-making in the hands of the clinician.
Partnering with technology providers already equipped to deliver these components reliably.
The Bottom Line for Obesity Programs
The new WHO guideline is not simply a statement on medications. It is a blueprint for comprehensive, long-term obesity care. Programs that combine medication, behavioral support, and robust monitoring will be best positioned to deliver durable outcomes, meet patient expectations, reduce clinical burden, and scale responsibly.
Withings Health Solutions stands ready to support that evolution with the technology, partnerships, and evidence-aligned frameworks that make multimodal obesity care possible.
Electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) is a non-invasive measurement of the sudomotor function. It measures sweat gland nerve supply and assesses disorders of the autonomic nervous system, which is part of the peripheral nervous system.
Why is ESC important?
A significant number of diabetes patients will be affected by diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in their lifetime, and the percentage of diabetes patients who might develop a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is also considerable. In addition, studies have shown that the 5-year mortality rate of DFU is comparable to cancer mortality. Given these urgent concerns, electrochemical skin conductance is a crucial tool for health care providers.
But this key measurement doesn’t just provide an essential health care solution. Consider the increased average medical costs for patients with diabetes, the billions of dollars in costs for patients with DFU in addition to the costs of the diabetes itself, and the tens of thousands of dollars in per-patient Medicare reimbursement and reimbursement per patient with diabetes-related foot amputation. It’s clear that electrochemical skin conductance can reduce the costs of diabetes patient care, as well as many of the risks to patient health.
Unfortunately, the current diabetes patient journey presents significant roadblocks, including the low percentage of diabetes patients who actually have an annual foot exam, the number of patients who are misdiagnosed due to unreliable tools, and the lack of patient monitoring. These issues highlight the need for connected health products that can measure ESC and other key biomarkers. These devices and systems can empower patients to take charge of their home health monitoring and motivate them to make beneficial lifestyle changes. They can provide care teams the consistent, accurate data they need to make the right treatment decisions, elevating overall care and improving health outcomes. And of course, they can lower care costs. The health risks to diabetes patients are real and significant — but real and significant solutions exist that can create positive impacts all around.
Click the button below to download the infographic.
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Partner
HabitNu
Challenge
Meet targeted 5% weight loss goal per member with a connected scale that would seamlessly integrate into existing workflow.
Solution
Withings Body Scale
Results
57% of active participants had a 5% of more weight loss and achieved a group weight loss of 11.8%
‘‘Ongoing participant engagement is key to the success of the HabitNu program, and the Withings scale is an essential component. We value the top-of-the-line scale and the support our participants receive from Withings Health Solutions.’’
Dr. Sindhu Rajan, CEO of HabitNu
BACKGROUND
HabitNu is a digital health company that provides Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recognized lifestyle modification programs designed to help members with diabetes prevention and chronic disease management. As part of delivering a successful program, HabitNu required to achieve a targeted 5% weight loss for each member. As a result, the company needed a best-in-class and trusted scale vendor to partner with to ensure members could easily and consistently track their weight throughout the program.
CHALLENGE
HabitNu sought an accurate and automated way to collect members’ weight data and demonstrate the targeted 5% or more weight loss for each member. They were also looking for a connected scale vendor that would seamlessly integrate with their existing workflow and provide them with extensive technical and member troubleshooting support.
SOLUTION
HabitNu partnered with Withings Health Solutions to provide the Wifi-based Body scale, along with the Withings HealthMate app that syncs seamlessly with HabitNu’s app. Once the member steps on the Body scale, the data is captured by the Withings HealthMate app and flows directly to HabitNu’s app. Members can track their meals, physical activity, as well as their daily weigh-in data. With the help of Withing’s onboarding team, HabitNu had their app sync with Withings devices in a matter of days.
The sleekly-designed connected scale instantly provides HabitNu with accurate weight and BMI data from its members. The member’s data is then analyzed and displayed for HabitNu health coaches to assess and guide each member’s progress along their health journey.
The scale’s intentionally designed habit-forming features, like displaying the weather forecast when a member steps on the scale, seamlessly becomes part of their daily routine. Members are also empowered to make healthier choices when seeing their weight trends over time and not just the latest number at weigh in.
‘‘The scale provides awesome features. I am so grateful for not only being able to continually see my weight loss progress in terms of pounds and the decreased BMI, but the icing on the cake is the weather notification.’’
- HabitNu member
‘‘The Withings scale was quick and easy to set up. It syncs easily with my phone and the HabitNu app. I also like that it shows gains and losses each time I weigh myself.’’
- HabitNu member
Withings dropships the scales directly to HabitNu members via an API integration, streamlining the logistics process and removing the headache and cost of operating a fulfillment center. “Having a smooth workflow is very important to us,” said Dr. Rajan. “With Withings, we can place orders for new members with just a click of a button. The whole process is very easy.”
RESULTS
Since 2017, HabitNu has offered a Withings Body scale to each of their new members, resulting in healthier life choices and increased program engagement. “The data we’re collecting demonstrates high levels of member adherence and improved health outcomes,” said Dr. Rajan.
In fact, a recent study of a year-long HabitNu Diabetes Prevention Program consisting of 4635 participants using the Withings Body scale showed that 79% of the participants actively engaged with the scale and the HealthMate app. With this program, HabitNu effectively demonstrated that 57% of the active participants had a 5% or more weight loss, and achieved a total group weight loss of 11.8%.
5%
more weight loss among participants actively engaged with the Withings Body Scale
Interested in partnering with us?
Contact Us
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What is Electrochemical Skin Conductance?
Electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) is a non-invasive measurement of the sudomotor function. It measures sweat gland nerve supply and assesses disorders of the autonomic nervous system, which is part of the peripheral nervous system.
Why is ESC important?
A significant number of diabetes patients will be affected by diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in their lifetime, and the percentage of diabetes patients who might develop a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is also considerable. In addition, studies have shown that the 5-year mortality rate of DFU is comparable to cancer mortality. Given these urgent concerns, electrochemical skin conductance is a crucial tool for health care providers.
But this key measurement doesn’t just provide an essential health care solution. Consider the increased average medical costs for patients with diabetes, the billions of dollars in costs for patients with DFU in addition to the costs of the diabetes itself, and the tens of thousands of dollars in per-patient Medicare reimbursement and reimbursement per patient with diabetes-related foot amputation. It’s clear that electrochemical skin conductance can reduce the costs of diabetes patient care, as well as many of the risks to patient health.
Unfortunately, the current diabetes patient journey presents significant roadblocks, including the low percentage of diabetes patients who actually have an annual foot exam, the number of patients who are misdiagnosed due to unreliable tools, and the lack of patient monitoring. These issues highlight the need for connected health products that can measure ESC and other key biomarkers. These devices and systems can empower patients to take charge of their home health monitoring and motivate them to make beneficial lifestyle changes. They can provide care teams the consistent, accurate data they need to make the right treatment decisions, elevating overall care and improving health outcomes. And of course, they can lower care costs. The health risks to diabetes patients are real and significant — but real and significant solutions exist that can create positive impacts all around.
Click the button below to download the infographic.
Our patient-centric care solution utilizes portable Withings cellular devices that are not tied to a single patient. Instead, care teams can use one device to collect and transmit data for an unlimited number of individuals. The integrated cellular connectivity automatically directs the data into the correct patient’s medical record, simplifying data collection and improving care delivery regardless of the setting.