WW Announces Global Launch of New PersonalPoints™ Program

WW International, Inc.
Published: November 9th, 2021

NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2021 // PRNewswire // - Today, WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ: WW), announces the global launch of its groundbreaking new PersonalPoints Program: a revolutionary, truly individualized and livable path to sustainable weight management and healthy living. Driven by cutting-edge nutrition and behavior change science as well as consumer research, the new program makes losing weight and reaching wellness goals simpler and more attainable, all while helping members continue to live their best, fullest lives. WW PersonalPoints has been proven to deliver clinically significant weight loss; decreases in hunger and food cravings; increases in physical activity and healthy habit formation; as well as improvements in overall well-being and quality of life.¹ And as always with any WW program, no foods are off limits.

Studies have proven that individualized programs work,^2,3,4 and this new program is more personalized than ever; in fact, it's the first time in the company's history where no two plans are alike, making it easier for members to achieve their goals and sustain them over time. WW PersonalPoints delivers a trifecta of game-changing new elements that work together to yield weight and wellness benefits, including:

• Individualized plans, custom-built for each member: Upon sign-up, members complete the new PersonalPoints Engine, WW's proprietary assessment that merges a member's food and activity preferences with WW's nutritional algorithm to generate an individualized weight loss and wellness plan. Each member has a unique PersonalPoints Budget with food and activity targets and their very own ZeroPoint™ foods list, based on the foods they say they love and can't live without - such as avocado, a new ZeroPoint food option - to help them stay full and feel satisfied. ZeroPoint foods - nutritional powerhouses that members reach for often and do not need to be weighed, measured or tracked - form the foundation for a healthy pattern of eating, as recommended by national and international guidelines.
• The most advanced food algorithm to date: For the first time since 2015, WW has updated its awarding-winning Points® system to account for added sugar, unsaturated fat and fiber in addition to other nutrients. WW's team of registered dietitians and nutrition scientists developed the rigorously tested food algorithm to reflect the latest in healthy eating recommendations, boiling down a food's most important nutritional factors into a single number to make healthy eating simple. Whereas Points® values on the previous system were based on four components - calories, protein, sugar, and saturated fat - the PersonalPoints value is even smarter. The new, cutting-edge food algorithm is now based on six components, adding fiber for a greater focus on fullness and unsaturated fat to nudge members toward heart-healthy fats, as well as replacing sugar with added sugar to better distinguish food with added sugar versus natural sugar.
• The ability to earn PersonalPoints for healthy behaviors: Now for the first time, members can earn Points® for practicing healthy behaviors to help turbo-charge a healthy habit loop. Behavioral science is clear on this: when people receive positive reinforcement for doing something, they are more likely to repeat it, and repetition creates habits. Members can grow their PersonalPoints Budget by: eating non-starchy vegetables (like carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, and spinach), reaching a daily water goal, and moving more.

"While we all experience life events that can cause disruptions in our routine, we do not share the same experience. Everyone's truth is unique. Everyone's life is unique. That's why it's important to have a weight loss program that is just as unique as you," said Mindy Grossman, President and CEO at WW. "PersonalPoints is individualized in a way that has never been done before - built around your favorite foods, your metabolism and your goals - so you can still embrace and savor all of life's moments. We give you the tools to build powerful habits - without restrictions, but with results."

The last thing anyone wants to do is miss out on a single moment, let alone pause their life to get healthier; people want to enjoy the things they love and have missed, no restrictions and no deprivation. And we know that is especially true today; in fact, a new report revealed that more than 3 in 5 (61 percent) adults agreed recent times have made them rethink how they were living their life.

"Our new program will completely shift the way people think about a weight and wellness journey, helping people realize from the start: 'I still can - and I will - enjoy my life while losing weight,'" said Gary Foster, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at WW and author of The Shift: 7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss. "We have purposefully created a scientifically-advanced program that puts our members front-and-center so they can find satisfaction in adopting habits that are livable, realistic, and - importantly - sustainable."

"During the six-month clinical trial of the WW PersonalPoints Program, participants experienced clinically significant results as it pertains to their weight and overall health and wellness," said Sherry Pagoto, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist, professor at University of Connecticut, and lead researcher on the clinical trial of the new program. "Not only did we see clinically significant weight loss during this time, but we also saw notable improvements in overall quality of life and well-being, decreased hunger and food cravings, and improvements in physical activity and an automaticity of healthy habits."

In addition to proven weight loss, participants also showed a number of other health and wellness benefits, such as, on average:

• Significant increases in intake of health-promoting foods. This includes a 55.4 percent increase in daily frequency of fruit consumption and 60.6 percent increase in daily frequency of vegetable consumption. An increased intake of fruits and vegetables is well-aligned with the dietary pattern recommended by the USDA.⁵
• An increase in moderate physical activity by 27 minutes per day and decrease in sitting time by 83 minutes per day. Physical activity not only supports greater weight loss and maintenance, but research has shown it may also be the single best predictor of weight maintenance; in fact, increased physical activity coupled with a healthier pattern of eating leads to 20 percent greater weight loss than changing eating habits alone.^6,7,8
• A 52.9 percent average increase in automaticity of healthy habits. Participants began to engage in healthy habits without thinking about it, helping to make these habits part of their daily lives.

To personalize the new program even further, PersonalPoints can be tailored to meet the needs of people living with diabetes. Consistent with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) guidelines,^9,10 this plan helps those living with diabetes establish a healthier pattern of eating, guiding them toward foods that are less likely to impact blood sugar levels (e.g., lean protein, high-fiber legumes, and healthy fats).

With decades of experience in behavior change, WW inspires millions of people around the world to adopt healthy habits for real life, thereby allowing people to live while losing. The new PersonalPoints Program is delivered and amplified through the award-winning WW app as well as the in-person and virtual workshop experience, all of which provide the tools, information and inspiration to help people achieve their goals across food, activity, mindset and sleep. And when people need one-on-one support or guidance, they can chat 24/7 with a WW expert Coach - a real, live human - right in the WW app.

¹ Ongoing six-month pre-post study on 153 participants, conducted by Sherry Pagoto, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Connecticut. Study funded by WW.

² Skinner, C. S., Campbell, M. K., Rimer, B. K., Curry, S., & Prochaska, J. O. (1999). How effective is tailored print communication? Annals of behavioral medicine, 21(4), 290-298.

³ Ryan K, Dockray S, Linehan C. A systematic review of tailored eHealth interventions for weight loss. Digital health. 2019 Feb;5:2055207619826685.

⁴ Sherrington A, Newham JJ, Bell R, Adamson A, McColl E, Araujo–Soares V. Systematic review and meta–analysis of internet–delivered interventions providing personalized feedback for weight loss in overweight and obese adults. obesity reviews. 2016 Jun;17(6):541-51.

⁵ U.S. Department of Agriculture. Back to Basics: All About MyPlate Food Groups. Accessed October 15, 2020.

⁶ Pronk NP, Wing RR. (1994). Physical activity and long-term maintenance of weight loss. Obes Res. 2(6): 587-599.

⁷ Curioni CC, Lourenço PM. (2005). Long-term weight loss after diet and exercise: a systematic review. Int J Obes. (Lond) 29(10):1168-74.

⁸ Penedo FJ, Dahn JR. (2005). Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Curr Opin Psychiatry.18(2):189-193.

⁹ American Diabetes Association. 8. Obesity management for the treatment of type 2 diabetes: standards of medical care in diabetes - 2021. Diabetes Care. 2021;44(Supp 1):S53-72.

¹⁰ International Diabetes Federation. Recommendations For Managing Type 2 Diabetes In Primary Care, 2017.

SOURCE WW International, Inc.