When we asked the readers of www.makeadifference.media on our homepage poll whether employers should help to target the obesity crisis, a resounding 69% voted “yes”, 18% voted “no”, and the remainder “not sure”. It’s a hot topic that clearly resonates with many and it’s one that we’ll be tackling at our sister event The Watercooler, on 30th April and 1st May.
Interesting to see then that health and life insurer Vitality has announced its members will have access to weight-loss medications through their Vitality health insurance cover.
The weight loss medication will be available to Vitality members who meet certain criteria later this year and will be provided in conjunction with lifestyle support and one-to-one coaching with a dietitian, through Vitality partner Second Nature.
Continued focus on prevention
Vitality will offer access to these medications, including Wegovy and Mounjaro, for members based on their BMI and weight related health conditions. This will build on the success of Vitality’s existing weight loss programme, which uses reward-based incentives to encourage lifestyle change, and has seen significant results for members embarking on their weight loss journeys with 48% of enrolled members reaching their weight loss targets*.
By integrating weight loss medications into its health insurance offerings, Vitality is setting a new standard in health management, ensuring members have access to a variety of tools and support that will help them to achieve their goals and prevent health conditions related to obesity and deliver better health outcomes for its members.
Addressing a UK health challenge
As our Features Editor Suzy Bashford pointed out in this article focused on “Why employers need to take action on the obesity crisis”, unhealthy diets are estimated to cost the UK at least £268 billion in lost productivity, health and social care costs, as well as costs to the individuals (ref. Nesta).
As of 2024, obesity alone was estimated to cost the NHS around £6.5 billion per year and is a major driver of poor health in the country. It can lead to multiple health complications such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and non-fatty liver disease – and have broader implications for an individual’s healthspan meaning that they are living longer, but in worse health.
Vitality’s announcement recognises that this is a pressing health challenge in our society, and through incorporating these medications into its existing weight-loss programme, aims to address these issues head-on.
In their official press release announcing the innovation, Vitality point out that, in line with clinical guidelines, medication assisted programmes have also been shown to be beneficial for those with a particularly high body mass index and coexisting conditions. For example, Wegovy, approved for use by the NHS in 2023, has been shown to achieve up to a 15% reduction in body weight after one year.
The role of employers
In their article on the topic, The Guardian points out that In the US, fewer than a fifth of large companies include coverage for weight loss drugs in their health insurance plans, according to a survey published in Health Affairs in October.
In the same article, The Guardian cites Dr Katie Tryon, Chief Commercial Director, VitalityHealth as saying: “While some risk factors are reducing in the workplace, like smoking and alcohol … the ones that are coming out as ever increasing are the number of people living with obesity as well as mental health and MSK [musculoskeletal] issues.”
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