Life Time
The Ozempic boom has hit the fitness industry.
The latest: According to Life Time president and COO Jeff Zwiefel, the gym chain will pilot a program to prescribe weight loss injections for members.
The effort would bring medical professionals “in-house” to deliver obesity drugs at clubs — working in conjunction with member’s primary care doctors, the gym’s trainers, and nutritionists.
TBD. Cost and rollout details weren’t provided, but Zwiefel said the program would include blood tests and meet FDA guidelines for increased physical activity — criteria required by some insurers to cover costs.
If you can’t beat ‘em… With US obesity rates approaching 50% and a majority of adults interested in trying GLP-1s like Ozempic, the market for prescriptions is massive.
Meanwhile, as attitudes toward weight management shift—from a focus on behavior change and willpower to an emphasis on the role of biology and environment—companies are being forced to adapt.
This spring, WeightWatchers acquired Sequence, a telehealth platform for prescribing GLP-1s. Despite shedding subscribers, its stock is up ~80% since the deal closed.
Then in May, Noom launched Noom Med, a new program offering obesity medications alongside its weight loss app.
Punchline: Accepting the reality that whoever qualifies will likely opt into treatment, Life Time sees a prescription-plus-physical-activity program as an on-ramp to exercise and gateway to additional revenue. As Big Food and healthcare confront the Ozempic effect, a successful gym model could force other fitness brands to reevaluate their stance on weight loss shots.
