NPR's Juana Summers talks with WeightWatchers CEO Sima Sistani about the company's recent decision to stock weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOUSEKEEPER:
The internet lit up earlier this week when Oprah Winfrey told People magazine that she was using a diet drug to lose and maintain her weight. The media powerhouse said the drug was a relief, a redemption and a gift. Quote, “I'm done being shamed by other people and especially myself.” Winfrey gives voice to what countless people have felt since embracing a class of drugs originally approved for diabetes but now widely embraced for weight loss. WeightWatchers, the decades-old weight loss and weight management program, is also embracing these new drugs, known as GLP-1. It's a huge change for a company that has spent 60 years advising people to count their calories or points and use willpower. Sima Sistani is the CEO of WeightWatchers and she's with me now. Welcome.
SIMA SISTANI: Thank you for having me, Juana.
SUMMER: This was incredibly big news for people who have or are struggling with their weight and who look to Oprah Winfrey as a source of inspiration. I mean, Oprah's fluctuating body weight and the treatment she received because of it has been a matter of public debate for as long as I can remember. And Oprah is also the kind of person who clearly does not suffer from a lack of grit, resilience and determination. I want to start by asking you, what example does her latest revelation that she uses these classes of drugs set for people who are struggling with weight loss on their own?
SISTANI: Look. I think it's really important to recognize that there is a decades-old narrative that has painted weight loss as a simple test of willpower. And it has perpetuated this sense of shame and misunderstanding around what it means to live with overweight and obesity. So, for some, really different solutions like these new clinical interventions are needed.
SUMMER: At the same time, I mean, hearing Oprah talk about the liberation she feels, the ability to better manage her weight, to get a dose of these drugs before Thanksgiving, when, you know, like many of us, we're going to he's having a big dinner – it's a powerful message, but he's also someone who's invested in your company. Do you think that diminishes the power of the message it gives to people facing similar struggles?
SISTANI: Well, look. Ms. Winfrey, along with the rest of our board, stands by our business vision and our program offerings. But we all know her story was a generational one, and one that mimics so many people who, on a daily basis, struggle with the same shame and prejudice where weight loss has been associated with preoccupation with thinness. And what we're trying to do is reframe that conversation around weight health. It's not about vanity. This is about the extent to which weight affects your health and quality of life. And for decades, we've discussed weight, dieting, and obesity in terms that isolate and often discourage people.
SUMMERS: So that means that the advice that WeightWatchers gave to people, including myself, I should note—I'm one of those who turned to WeightWatchers at various points in my journey of struggling with my own weight—was the advice that we had been given for years about what it takes to lose weight, that it focuses on determination, resilience and willpower – was that advice just wrong?
SISTANI: I will say, as someone who was too humble to take on this role because WeightWatchers also worked for me, yes, that advice was wrong because we said it was choice, not luck. And the truth is that it is a chronic condition. And ultimately, for every person we helped, there was one person for whom our program didn't work because they were dealing with a chronic, relapsing condition with biology and a genetic and environmental basis. And so in order to reintroduce ourselves, we must recognize the part we had in the past.
SUMMERS: There are some real questions out there about how much we don't know right now about the long-term effects of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, examples of the GLP-1s we've discussed. How does this program answer and speak to some of these concerns?
SISTANI: Well, GLP-1s are not new. The indication for obesity is new, but they have been prescribed for decades in people living with diabetes. So that gave us great comfort in embracing this clinical pathway.
SUMMER: I want to raise the issue of access and cost here. Many people cannot afford these drugs. People are talking about spending hundreds, if not more than $1,000, to access prescription drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic if they are not covered by insurance. And so I would imagine that there are more who cannot afford to take these drugs indefinitely. Are you at all concerned that this is causing long-term frustration for people who are eager for solutions and eager to lose weight?
SISTANI: Well, I think you're making a very important cultural conversation, which is that these drugs right now are incredibly expensive and they need to be covered. It is criminal, in my opinion, that they are not covered. And they're in the same category right now as, you know, hair loss and erectile dysfunction drugs. This is a reflection of the health care system being based on a disease model versus thinking about preventive measures for weight health. And so we're having that conversation at a policy level as well, so we can make sure everyone can access the support and care they need.
SUMMERS: Something that I think about a lot and I'd love to get your perspective on is whether you're concerned about people out there who might see medication as a quick fix for something that can be so complicated and so individual.
SISTANI: There are no quick fixes. Even these drugs – after all, do not replace lifestyle intervention. And I think the focus we want is to recognize the chronic condition so that we can change the bias in talking about what is ultimately a very lonely experience for many.
SUMMER: I'd like to ask you a question from one of our editors on the show, if I may. She is someone who has used WeightWatcher successfully at times, less successfully at others, to try to maintain a healthy weight and feel good about herself. And one thing he told me that he's noticed in the WeightWatchers social communities since the announcement that you all were going to start offering and allowing people to access and help them access these drugs is that some people have this sense of betrayal in the arms of the company of these drugs. What do you tell these customers?
SISTANI: So I understand. You know, change is hard. And, you know, we're all part of the culture and that narrative. But what I've shared with our team and our members is that what makes WeightWatchers unique is that so many of us choose to be here because we believe in the mission and we believe in the power of community-driven health. And that must come with an unwavering commitment to radical honesty.
SUMMER: That was WeightWatchers CEO Sima Sistani. Thank you very much for being here.
SISTANI: Thank you.
Copyright © 2023 NPR. All rights reserved. Please visit our website's terms of use and license pages at www.npr.org for more information.
NPR transcripts are created on a deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The valid recording of NPR programming is the audio recording.