2. Exercise as a penalty

Surprisingly, exercise itself does not have a significant impact on weight loss, but it does have a substantial impact on quality of life and is therefore a critical part of any wellness program. But it should never be framed as a punishment for eating certain foods. How do programs do this? Framing exercise as calorie-burning or a way to “earn” food points takes away from enjoyment. And more importantly, it discourages long-term adherence. The benefits of physical activity are too many to list. And the best exercise is the one people will stick to, because it brings them enjoyment.

3. Focusing on the scale, instead of the person

Successful weight loss is about more than just the number on the scale; it’s about improving overall health, wellbeing, and quality of life. Programs that focus solely on weight loss miss the mark by ignoring the underlying motivations and habits that drive long-term success and the full benefits of weight loss. Focusing on things such as sleep, stress reduction, and resilience will better benefit quality of life and contribute to weight loss.

The mind-body connection goes both ways – you cannot address one without addressing the other. Programs that ignore tools and education for improving mental wellbeing, stress, or emotional eating can lead to increased stress, decreased motivation, and poor outcomes.

4. Inexperience and inadequate practices

Over the past five years, there has been a flood of new companies in the weight-loss space, and many of them have already gone out of business. Two things to look out for in a solution are proven experience and scientific evidence. How many years have they been working with health plans and employers? As for scientific evidence, look for programs that are backed by evidence-based practices to ensure they are effective and safe. In the employer space, it is especially important to look for partners that are highly experienced at working with employees. Direct-to-consumer and employer-based programs could not be more different.

Green flags for a comprehensive, sustainable solution

Once an employer is on board and ready to find a solution that does what it promises, what ]are the green flags that can bring long-term health to an employee population?

1. A personalized behavior-change program

Obesity treatment is complicated, especially with the diverse lifestyles, needs, schedules, medical histories, and preferences of a given population. Complicating matters even more is the expansion of weight-loss medication offerings. Not everyone qualifies, and for those who do, there is an entire spectrum of weight-loss medications — and not just the ones in the headlines. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for obesity. So, what does work? Personalization is key. Look for behavior-change programs that offer individualized interventions based on unique needs and that incorporate weight-loss medications, where appropriate, to enhance effectiveness.

2. Tailored medication management

Weight-loss medications are more than just a trendy topic; they could be a vital weight-loss strategy for individuals with chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes or hypertension. But the price of these medications makes this option unaffordable for many organizations. So, where is the balance between cost and clinical effectiveness? It is not enough to offer these medications; it must be done strategically. Employers should consider offering a wider range of medications (not just GLP-1s), implementing a step-therapy approach, and assessing eligibility requirements.

3. Regular reporting and analytics

If you don’t track it, you can’t manage it. Monitoring progress and outcomes allows employers to pivot to more effective measures. Should the program be expanded? What are the most effective communication methods? Can ROI be proven? Selecting a program with robust reporting capabilities is key for evaluating the clinical, cultural and financial return on investment.

4. Easy, no-risk partner

Employee health is not the place to take risks, so look for a partner that is well established and easy to work with. Make sure they have extensive experience in the employer space, as direct-to-consumer is an entirely different game. Will implementation be a smooth process? Can they bill as a medical claim? Are there outcome-based performance guarantees? It is also important to have scalable programs that integrate with existing ecosystems and participant points of care.

5. Sustainable outcomes and ROI

It’s not enough to talk the talk. Do the numbers back up the results? And most importantly, is the data peer-reviewed or third-party validated? Look at the ROI and peer-reviewed studies. Weight is a keystone of whole-health and there is so much misinformation regarding weight loss that it is important to make sure a program is backed by science.

By focusing on these key areas and avoiding the red flags outlined above, employers and their benefits advisors can empower employees to live healthier, more fulfilling lives. It’s a win-win – a happier and more productive workforce while simultaneously reducing health-care costs and improving overall company performance.

Dr. Tim Church MD, MPH, PhD is Chief Medical Officer of Wondr Health is one of the country’s leading clinical thought leaders in exercise and obesity research.