Telehealth weight loss works: Found’s study shows online care can lead to clinically significant results

So many people are buying weight loss injections online, often without additional support like regular check-ins with a health-care provider, a community support group, or a personalized lifestyle change program. Are drugs alone enough, or do people need more to successfully lose weight and keep it off?

Care matters, according to a new landmark study by Found, published in the online journal Obesity Science and Practice. The study looked at the weight-loss outcomes of more than 66,000 members, and found that regularly checking in with health care providers and health coaches, a supportive community, lifestyle education, or logging habits help people lose weight and keep it off. Even more surprising in the age of Ozempic®: People who took medication for weight loss other than popular GLP-1s still saw significant results. 

Although research on weight-loss methods is frequently published, those studies often have small participant sizes, narrowly focus on specific demographics—such as men over age 65 or people above a given body mass index (BMI) number—and may not have practical, real-world applications. While this type of research is important for advancing the field, providing a broader range of participants, and using a large sample size, while also detailing results has been lacking—until now.

The results of Found’s first real-world, peer-reviewed study showed that a virtual weight-loss program offering a variety of medications can help people achieve significant weight loss. It demonstrates that a medically guided approach, delivered through a digital format, works for a wide range of people and in profound ways. 

Key Research Findings

Researchers assessed the weight-loss outcomes of 66,094 Found members who utilize medications alongside a digital behavior change program. The outcomes included the percentage of weight lost and the absolute change in body weight and BMI at three, six, and 12 months. Here are the study’s key findings. 

• Change involves more than medications: On average, members who actively engaged beyond medication use saw 20% more weight loss than those who used medications alone. Although medications can be an important part of weight loss, this result demonstrates that building habits for long-term success—a core part of the Found program—can drive better results. Also, developing those behavior change strategies helps participants in the long term, not just while they're in the process of initial weight loss.
  
  Active engagement in the study included actions like logging weight once a week, interacting with a Found clinician or Found health coach, reading an article in the Found app, logging habits like physical activity or healthy eating, and participating in Found’s supportive community of members.
  
  
• Showing up pays off: In addition to making the most of Found's comprehensive range of weight-loss resources, those who demonstrated consistency tended to have more substantial results. Researchers noted that weight-loss outcomes increased with program engagement: Members who participated at least once weekly for 12 months lost an average of 10% of their body weight, while those who logged their weight each week in the app lost 12%. Considering that even 2% of weight loss can lower health risks, this is an important finding, the researchers noted.
  

• Members lose weight and keep it off: Previous research on weight loss highlights the difficulty of maintaining weight loss after a few months of losing it. But it doesn't take a research team to note how this affects individuals: Anyone who's struggled with weight knows the deep frustration that comes with losing weight initially, only to see it "creep" back on—or even worse, to regain more weight than was first lost. In a recent analysis, Found members who saw early progress sustained it, with almost 83% of participants reporting weight maintenance after a year.

• Outcomes are impressive: Although GLP-1 medications are rapidly changing the landscape of weight-loss treatments, fewer than 10% of members in the study were prescribed GLP-1s, yet they showed notable results. This demonstrates that having a variety of treatment options is essential, especially since treatments can be tailored to each person's unique needs.
  
  Even though GLP-1s are effective, all drugs have risks. Common side effects of GLP-1 medications including Ozempic include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and acid reflux. More serious but less common side effects include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and worsening of diabetic eye disease. Those with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasias should not use these drugs. Read details about side effects and risks for specific medications by name on our dedicated medication page.

• Results are consistent for a wide range of members: Researchers commented that a notable strength of the study is the large sample size, with representation across multiple geographic regions of the United States. That's in contrast to smaller studies—sometimes with only a dozen participants or even fewer—which may not have results representative of what a larger group might experience.
  
  
• Program quality matters: Another important advantage of the study, according to the researchers, was the strength of Found's program, which they highlighted as "one that has implemented high quality safety protocols, uses dose escalation for medications, and places a high standard on clinical quality review processes." Overall, they stated that the integrity of Found's program shows that virtual solutions with Found-affiliated clinicians trained in obesity medicine can be successfully delivered for a large number of members.

Value of Found

‍The recent landmark study's conclusion stated that it provides real-world evidence that users of Found who are prescribed medications and utilize behavior change programs can achieve notable weight loss that lasts up to a year and likely beyond. "These findings support the value of virtual platforms in efficiently scaling access to high-quality weight care," the researchers wrote. In conclusion, weight maintenance “is a significant challenge for both patients and clinicians and long-term behavioral support and use of anti-obesity medications are critical to managing weight plateaus and weight regain."

Found is among the largest medically-supported telehealth weight care platforms in the country, having served more than 250,000 members to date. To start your journey with Found, take our quiz.

Found is not affiliated with Novo Nordisk A/S, the owner of the registered trademark Ozempic. While GLP-1s and tirzepatide are effective for weight loss, they are not clinically appropriate for everyone. Eligibility for these drugs is based on a provider’s evaluation of your medical history, MetabolicPrint, and lab work. If these drugs are not appropriate for you, our providers will work with you to determine an effective medication for your health profile. This content does not provide medical advice and does not substitute for a consultation with a doctor or health care provider.