Wellness Apps, Medically Tailored Meals Help Slow Weight Gain After Glp-1s

• Most people regain a significant portion of the weight they lost within 1 year of stopping GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Zepbound).
• A small study found that structured support, including a digital weight management app or medically tailored meals, may help slow weight regain after stopping GLP-1 medications.
• Healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and ongoing medical support may help people maintain weight loss, while some may benefit from continuing GLP-1 medications long-term.

Weight regain is common after stopping GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound).

In fact, previous research has shown that most people regain at least half of their lost weight within 1 year of stopping treatment, with weight regain often accelerating during the first 3–4 months.

However, a new study suggests that structured support, including a weight management app or medically tailored meals, may help slow weight regain after discontinuing GLP-1 medications.

The small study, published October 7 in Obesity Science & Practice, found that participants who received either intervention regained significantly less weight over four months than those receiving usual care.

How researchers tested ways to limit weight regain after stopping GLP-1s

The study included 39 adults with an average age of 50, an average weight of 189 pounds, and an average body mass index (BMI) of 31.4.

All participants had lost more than 10% of their body weight while taking GLP-1 medications and had stopped treatment within the previous 30 days.

All participants also completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study and used Bluetooth scales to track their weight at home throughout the four-month period.

Researchers randomly assigned participants to one of the following three groups:

Usual care

Participants continued to receive care from their healthcare providers, which may include nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle counseling from a clinician or registered dietitian. The type and amount of support varied depending on the provider’s recommendations and available resources. The researchers did not provide any additional intervention.

Digital weight management app

Participants received a subscription to Noom, an app that uses behavioral strategies to support weight loss and maintenance. These include tracking food intake, exercise, and weight, as well as educational lessons on the psychological, physiological, social, and environmental factors that influence eating behaviors.

The app also provides tools to help users recognize and manage triggers that may lead to overeating. Participants were encouraged to use the app for at least 15 minutes daily, including completing lessons, logging food, and tracking their weight.

Medically tailored meals

These are typically nutrient-dense meals developed by registered dietitians to meet the nutritional needs of people with specific health conditions, such as chronic kidney disease or uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.

For this study, participants in this group selected 10 portion-controlled, “weight wellness” meals each week from more than 70 options, which were delivered to their homes.

Medically tailored meals and wellness app slowed weight regain

After four months, participants who received either medically tailored meals or access to the digital weight management app experienced significantly less weight regain than those receiving usual care.

The estimated weight regain was 10.75% of body weight in the usual-care group, compared with 3.6% in the Noom group and 3.58% in the medically tailored meals group.

Although participants in all three groups regained weight, the findings suggest that structured nutritional or behavioral support may help limit weight regain after stopping GLP-1 medications.

“These findings highlight the benefits of ongoing support for patients on a weight loss journey,” said Mir Ali, MD, medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. Ali wasn’t involved in the study.

Denise Pate, MD, a board certified internist with Medical Offices of Manhattan who was also not involved in the study, told Healthline that the findings are significant “because they show that obesity management is multifactorial, not only medication, but the combination of types of meals and behavioral change all play a role.”

However, because this was a small, four-month study, larger, longer-term trials are needed to determine whether these approaches can help people maintain weight loss over time after stopping GLP-1 medications.

Should you stay on GLP-1 medications long term?

Ali noted that research suggests GLP-1 medications are most effective for weight management when taken long-term.

“Obesity needs to be recognized and treated as a chronic condition, similar to diabetes or hypertension,” he said.

Pate agreed, emphasizing that obesity is not always recognized as a chronic condition that may require ongoing treatment.

“I feel that the medical community, insurance, and the population as a whole have yet to fully accept obesity as a chronic medical condition, which it most definitely is for a large part of patients. For this reason, I think patients should stay on these medications long term if needed,” she said.

“GLP-1 medications are highly effective tools for transitioning to a healthier diet and lifestyle, which for most people may require long-term use,” Ali added.

Ways to maintain weight loss after stopping GLP-1 medications

Pate explained that one of the goals of GLP-1 medications is to help people eat smaller portions by recognizing when they feel full and stopping when they do.

“I tell my patients from the start, this is the goal,” she said, adding that she hopes patients will retain those habits after stopping treatment.

Ali recommended maintaining a balanced diet rich in protein and vegetables while limiting added sugars and refined carbohydrates.

He added that tracking apps and regular follow-up appointments with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian may also help people maintain their progress.

“Patients need to understand that the GLP medication is not a miracle drug, although with the dramatic weight loss, it can be perceived as such. It is only a tool to be used in conjunction with an exercise routine as well as a healthy diet,” Pate said.