Weight Watchers introduces PointsPlus weight loss program in the U.S.

Weight Watchers International, Inc.Nov 29 2010

A NEW FOUNDATION AND A BETTER WAY

The biggest innovation from Weight Watchers in more than a decade, PointsPlus uses the latest scientific research to create a program that goes far beyond traditional calorie counting to give people the edge they need to lose weight and keep it off in a fundamentally healthier way.  The program is designed to educate and encourage people to make choices that:

• Favor foods the body works harder to convert into energy, resulting in fewer net calories absorbed
• Focus on foods that create a sense of fullness and satisfaction and are more healthful
• Nudge toward natural foods rather than foods with excess added sugars and fats
• Still allow flexibility for indulgences, special occasions and eating out

PointsPlus achieves all of this in an easy to follow program where people continue to learn how to incorporate healthier, more satisfying habits into their life in small, manageable steps.  The net effect is weight loss that is satisfying, healthful and flexible all at the same time.  

THE PointsPlus FUNDAMENTALS

While calorie-counting has been the foundation of many weight loss programs, including the Weight Watchers POINTS System, the NEW PointsPlus program goes beyond just calories, to help people make healthful and satisfying choices. The new formula takes into account the energy contained in each of the components that make up calories – protein, carbohydrates, fat and fiber – and it also factors how hard the body works to process them (conversion cost) as well their respective eating satisfaction (satiety).    

In addition to the new formula, foods that are low in energy density and therefore, more highly satisfying, are emphasized within the program.  Specifically, all fresh fruits and most vegetables now have zero PointsPlus values.  Further, Power Foods, an important element of the new PointsPlus program, provide an easy way to identify the best food choices among similar foods, for example, those foods with higher eating satisfaction, lower sugar, lower sodium, healthier fat and more fiber.  The new program features, combined with the fundamentals of the Weight Watchers approach – that is, weight loss built on healthy eating, physical activity, behavior modification and support – make PointsPlus the most revolutionary and innovative program the company has ever offered.

"Our new PointsPlus program is based on the latest scientific research and is designed to guide people to foods that are nutrient dense and highly satisfying, ensuring they will make healthful decisions, have successful weight loss and learn to keep their weight off long-term," said Karen Miller-Kovach, chief scientific officer, Weight Watchers International, Inc.  "Research shows that after following the Weight Watchers program, we've seen improvements in healthy eating habits, successful weight loss and even changes in peoples' innate response to hunger and food – ultimately aiding in long-term weight loss success."

A SCIENTIFICALLY-PROVEN WEIGHT LOSS EDGE

Development of a weight loss system based on scientific concepts and theories does not prove that it will work in the real world.  The PointsPlus program has been tested in a rigorous, independent clinical trial, and the results demonstrate that it delivers significant weight loss as well as improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and eating behaviors linked with long-term weight loss and hedonistic hunger.  The testing applied to this new program is a reflection of Weight Watchers commitment to clinical testing with more than 60 publications and presentations over the past 15 years that demonstrate the efficacy of the Weight Watchers approach to weight loss and long-term health.

In addition to clinical testing, for the past year, thousands of people across the United States have been beta-testing the PointsPlus program.  In addition to being thrilled with their weight loss, these individuals reported they felt healthier and more satisfied.  People shifted their choices away from energy dense, processed foods toward fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, changing their life in a meaningful and natural way and demonstrating the effectiveness of the PointsPlus program.  

"We are confident that PointsPlus is the best program Weight Watchers has ever offered not only to help Americans lose weight and make smarter food choices but also to combat the nation's growing obesity epidemic," said David Kirchhoff, president and CEO of Weight Watchers International, Inc. "We are changing the way Americans view calories and select their food. Our new PointsPlus program will not only deliver weight loss success, it will help transform America's eating habits and the way we make our food choices."  

The PointsPlus™ program launched on November 28 in Weight Watchers meeting rooms across the United States and, on November 29, the Weight Watchers Online internet subscription product for the United States was adapted for this new program.