August 9, 2022 – Abbott and WeightWatchers announced a strategic partnership that will help people living with diabetes better understand and manage their diabetes and weight. The companies are working together to integrate WeightWatchers’ diabetes-tailored weight management program with Abbott’s portfolio of FreeStyle Libre® products to create a seamless mobile experience that will give people living with diabetes the information and insights needed to make healthy adjustments to their diet, improve their glucose levels, and, ultimately, gain more control of their health.
Maintaining a healthy body weight and having proper nutrition are critical to living well with diabetes. Yet, for many people living with diabetes, determining what to eat and following a meal plan is the most challenging part of diabetes management. Through this partnership, participants can receive glucose insights from Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre sensor-based technology that show the impact of food choices, alongside the empirically validated WeightWatchers’ diabetes-tailored nutritional guidance to help them achieve their healthier living goals.
“We strive to put our customers at the heart of everything we do, and that includes forming strategic partnerships with key industry leaders, like WeightWatchers, to provide new services and offerings that can greatly improve the quality of life for people living with diabetes,” said Jared Watkin, senior vice president of Abbott’s diabetes care business. “By combining our world-leading FreeStyle Libre glucose monitoring technology with WeightWatchers’ number one doctor-recommended weight loss program, people with diabetes, in particular, those with Type 2 diabetes and less intensively managed by doctors, can have the insights they need to take control of their health.”
The two companies will work together to allow Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring systems and the WeightWatchers mobile app to share information so that people living with diabetes can see their glucose data alongside WeightWatchers’ diabetes-tailored program.
“It’s proven that lifestyle changes, including shifts in patterns of eating and activity routines, are a crucial component of diabetes management and can help improve glycemic control,” said Sima Sistani, chief executive officer of WeightWatchers. “We’ve partnered with Abbott, a leader in diabetes care, to make it possible for people with diabetes to reach their weight and healthy living goals while enjoying the foods they love and better managing their glucose levels.”
The partnership will initially focus on solutions for people living with diabetes within the United States in 2023.