Jump to: The service providers | Weight loss outcomes | Service provider weight loss outcomes | Completion and uptake of programmes | Take home message
A new study has been published analysing the data collected from the NHS’ National Digital Weight Management Programme.
The NHS National Digital Weight Management Programme is a nationally available programme in England for people living with overweight or obesity alongside type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or both.
Patients are referred to the programme via their GP and then triaged into one of three intervention levels, each defined by the intensity of the support available.
- Level 1: A self-guided digital programme
- Level 2: A coach-supported digital programme with up to 50 minutes a week of support available
- Level 3: A coach-supported digital programme with up to 100 minutes a week of support available
Whether a patient is referred to levels 1, 2, or 3 depends on their baseline health status and the years they have attempted to lose weight.
More complex cases of obesity would be referred to level 3, whereas individuals who were recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes also living with obesity would be referred to level 1.
For the avoidance of doubt, the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is in no way related to Second Nature’s private medication-supported programmes, where we provide either Wegovy or Mounjaro alongside our digital weight-loss programme. Our Wegovy and Mounjaro programmes are only available privately and not through the NHS.
The service providers
Second Nature was one of six providers delivering the programme across England. The other 5 providers were Slimming World, Liva Healthcare, Oviva, MoreLife, and Xyla Health and Wellbeing.
Some providers delivered multiple levels of the service, such as Second Nature, which delivered levels 1 and 3, while others only delivered 1 service, like Oviva, which delivered level 3.
Weight loss outcomes
Unsurprisingly, the level of engagement with the programmes was associated with greater weight loss. The longer the participants engaged with the programme, the greater the weight loss.
The average weight loss across all intervention levels and providers was around 4.5 kg.
When analysing the weight loss of the different levels, levels 2 and 3 saw an average weight loss of just under 4 kg, while level 1 achieved a weight loss of just over 5 kg after 12 weeks.
However, when the weight loss for all participants was analysed, defined as ‘having the opportunity to finish the programme’, the average weight loss fell to around 2kg across all intervention levels.
This analysis includes all participants disengaging from the programme throughout the 12-week intervention.
Service provider weight loss outcomes
Level 1
Comparing the different service providers, Second Nature saw the most significant weight loss in level 1, with 5.4kg (5.2%) after 12 weeks. Slimming World averaged 4.3kg, Morelife 4 kg, and Xyla Health and Wellbeing 3.3kg, respectively.
Level 2
There was no significant difference between the three service providers when comparing the different service providers. Xyla Health and Wellbeing had an average weight loss of 3.4 kg, and Oviva and Morelife achieved an average weight loss of 3.2 kg.
Level 3
Second Nature again saw the most significant weight loss when comparing the different service providers for the level 3 intervention, with an average weight loss of 4 kg (3.7%) after 12 weeks.
Xyla Health and Wellbeing reported an average weight loss of 3 kg and Liva 2.7 kg.
Completion and uptake of programmes
Another outcome measured was the percentage of referrals that started (uptake) and completed the programmes.
The programmes’ ability to support higher completion is often directly linked to their ability to support greater outcomes.
Our research at Second Nature has shown that the more people engage with our programme, the more likely they are to lose weight.
In the level 1 intervention, Second Nature had the highest uptake (82%) and completion (48%) rates than the other 4 providers.
In level 2, Morelife had the highest uptake rate (63%), whereas Oviva had the highest completion rate (36%).
In level 3, Second Nature had the highest uptake (79%) and completion rates (63%) compared with the other 3 providers.
Take home message
The NHS National Digital Weight Management programme is the nation’s first nationally commissioned weight management programme.
Historically, the NHS and local councils have commissioned services in individual areas, which can lead to some confusion among healthcare providers about what services are available as the private sector providers often change every few years, and the lines of communication rarely remain the same.
Streamlining these services into a nationally commissioned package provides GPs, doctors, and other healthcare professionals the reassurance that high-quality weight management interventions are available for their patients with low barriers to entry.
Digital programmes allow people to access diet and lifestyle support without attending weekly in-person classes, which may not fit their schedules.
Having these programmes delivered via an app on their phone means they can access support 7 days a week.
The results of this study suggest that digital lifestyle interventions can lead to significant weight loss for individuals who remain engaged throughout the 12-week intervention.
However, the challenges of encouraging greater uptake and retention of these programmes remain despite the lower barriers to access and zero cost for patients.
Service providers must continue developing more personalised programmes to ensure they cater to everyone, regardless of their cultural or socioeconomic background.
Finally, as noted earlier in the article – the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is in no way related to Second Nature’s private Wegovy and Mounjaro weight-loss programmes, which are only available privately and not through the NHS.
