Weight viewer's pivot from diet to the hub of CHEqup, a UK-based anti-obesity treatment provider
In a traditional focus with calorie counting and group weighing, SteazeWatchers has announced a sharp announcement of a new strategic partnership in the UK with Chequp, a provider of GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro.
The move marks a major shift in the iconic brand, which is now aligned with the booming market for anti-obesity injections.
The partnership comes weeks after weightlifters filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S., a move that was driven by increased debt and reduced customer base as more people turn to drug treatments rather than weight loss programs.
Under the protocol, prescribed GLP-1 medications for CHEqup patients will access a customized version of the WeightWatchers app, which is specifically designed to support people with weight loss injections. The platform provides expert-guided food recommendations designed to reduce side effects of medications such as nausea while promoting healthy, sustainable weight loss.
“The data is obvious – our obesity drug members also participate in our nutrition and behavioral lifestyle programs with an average weight increase of 11% compared to those who use medication alone,” said Scott Honken, chief commercial officer of WhiewWatchers.
The company renamed it WW in 2018 and once had celebrity supporters including Oprah Winfrey, who became its most eye-catching advocate and shareholder. But earlier this year, Winfrey announced that she was leaving the company and donating stocks, and soon after she revealed that her weight loss was achieved through the use of anti-obesity drugs rather than the WW-based points program.
The move to accept weight loss medications is a major hub for weight watches, and the brand has been synonymous with non-medical, behavioral approaches for decades. Its structured food programs, branded recipes, ready-made meals and community meetings were once the heart of the global weight loss exercise. However, the rising demand for prescription injections – supported by clinical trials, showing significant weight loss – has changed the landscape.
GLP-1 drugs such as Semaglutide (Wegovy) and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) are rapidly changing how patients and providers approach obesity. Despite recent enthusiasm, research has also shown that weight tends to recover unless accompanied by long-term lifestyle changes.
“There is no doubt that aggravating observers’ breakthrough GLP-1 companion program will greatly increase our patients’ ability to achieve sustainable weight loss,” said James Hunt, deputy CEO of CHEEQUP. “It combines scientifically supported tools with a global community of like-minded people.”
The UK partnership reflects a similar strategy adopted in the U.S. as weightlifters bet on their future as lifestyle partners in the global weight loss drug industry – providing coaching, nutrition advice and behavioral support for patients who choose medications now over meal plans.
Although the UK's GLP-1 drug absorption remains limited compared to the United States, obesity experts urge the NHS to accelerate treatment to address the UK's growing obesity crisis, which is linked to increased diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
As companies move away from their old diet patterns, WeiverWatchers is gambling, and its next chapter is not about telling people what to eat, but supporting them by using the right tools and communities, but by supporting them through medical weight loss.
Whether this reshaping is enough to revive the fate of a brand remains to be seen, but one thing is obvious: Weightwatchers has officially entered the era of prescription weight loss.
