There are many potential benefits of the WW diet, which is about making positive lifestyle changes, as opposed to restricting certain foods and food intake.

You can have that bagel or the dessert, just not every day.” “You need to be able to live and eat different foods. “WW is an excellent program because it focuses on portion sizes, is well balanced, and puts the responsibility on the participant to make the right choices, which is really where it belongs, because you are responsible for your success,” says Barbara Schmidt, RD, a nutritionist in private practice in New Canaan, Connecticut. Kraus adds that the combination of tracking points, making healthy food choices, and increasing activity levels will help the participant lose weight. ( 7) WW even has a plan tailored for those with diabetes to help them lose weight and lower blood sugar. With any WW point budget, there are no “must-eat” foods - the participant is in the driver’s seat when it comes to making menu decisions. “It promotes the inclusion of a wide variety of foods therefore it supports balance - all foods are considered ‘legal,’ to avoid feeling deprived,” says Susan Kraus, RD, of the Institute for Weight Management in Hackensack, New Jersey. The settlement ordered WW to delete the data of children under 14 and pay a $1.5 million penalty. In March 2022, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against WW and Kurbo for illegally collecting children’s personal data without proper parental consent.

However, the app’s goals weren’t the only issue with its launch. “I don’t think the approach was developed to be a diet, but rather an approach to help families make lifestyle changes,” she says. “I don’t like to overly focus on a child’s weight and rarely recommend kids lose weight, but rather identify areas in their life where they may have an opportunity to improve health behaviors,” says Natalie Muth, MD, pediatrician and author of Family Fit Plan. Parents and eating disorder experts criticized the program, arguing it could cause or exacerbate unhealthy eating habits in young people. Kurbo was marketed as a family-based behavior-change program and used a traffic-light system to help kids make better choices when it comes to food.

( 3)Ĭontroversy sparked in August 2019 with the launch of Kurbo by WW, a weight loss program for children and teens ages 8 to 17. In addition to weight loss, WW now offers programs that encourage physical activity and help develop a positive mindset, such as fitness workouts and five-minute coaching audios that are accessible in the app. The new company tagline, “Wellness That Works,” highlights WW’s shift from purely weight loss to overall health and wellness. ( 2) The Decision to Rebrand and Controversy Around WW’s Weight Loss App for KidsĪs of 2018, Weight Watchers rebranded to become WW. ( 1) Today, WW remains one of the most popular diets in the world, with 3.8 million subscribers as of November 2022, and an international roster of doctors, researchers, and other experts on its scientific advisory board. Founded more than 50 years ago by Jean Nidetch, the weight loss company began in Nidetch’s home with a few friends looking for diet support. Formerly known as Weight Watchers, WW has had an impressive track record of success.

Weight watcher app