(NewsNation) — WeightWatchers has acquired a telehealth company in order to prescribe weight loss drugs like Ozempic, but a doctor warns it may not be “the best approach.”
“’Eat what you like and lose weight’ is not going to happen for everybody,” Dr. Ahmet Ergin, founder of SugarMD, said during an appearance on NewsNation’s “Rush Hour” to discuss the potential side effects of the new diet trend.
“When you’re on Ozempic … you naturally do not want to eat. You don’t actually even need WeightWatchers, because you basically almost hate the food. When you hate the food, there’s no reason to count anything,” Ergin said.
WW International Inc. (WW), previously known as WeightWatchers, announced on Tuesday its acquisition of a digital health company, Sequence, signaling the diet company’s move into the Ozempic market. Ozempic is a medication most commonly known to treat those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
According to the Wall Street Journal, WW plans to promote Sequence’s telehealth services to its members. WW Chief Scientific Officer Gary Foster said in a statement that the company plans to create programs tailored to people who are using weight-loss drugs that will include an emphasis on strength training and consuming high-protein foods.
Some digital health companies have received criticism for promoting certain drugs as a quick weight-loss approaches for people who aren’t obese or don’t have diabetes, the Journal reported.
“When you try to replace lifestyle with medication, it is possible to do so. However, then you have to endure the possible side effects, including cancer, in the long run. And we don’t really know what these medications will do to younger people who are just trying to lose weight. … We have no idea what will happen, so that definitely is not the best approach for weight loss,” Ergin added.