WeightWatchers Has Tanked, While Ozempic Thrives

By: Beth Moreton | Published: Mar 25, 2024

WeightWatchers was once the giant of the weight loss world; however, with the introduction of Ozempic, that seems to have changed.

Oprah Winfrey, once the face of WeightWatchers, has left the brand, and with many looking to weight loss injections and pills like Ozempic, many are left wondering what this could mean for WeightWatchers.

Oprah Winfrey Announced She Was Leaving WeightWatchers

In February, Oprah Winfrey announced that she was leaving WeightWatchers after it turned out she was using Ozempic.

Oprah Winfrey smiling wearing a pink top.

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Oprah once insisted that she only used WeightWatchers methods to lose weight, but according to The Daily Mail, she has been able to lose 40 pounds from Ozempic.

WeightWatchers Stock Is at an All-Time Low

When Oprah announced that she was leaving WeightWatchers, the company’s stock dropped to an all-time low.

Stock on a laptop screen. There are green and red lines that go up, drop down, go up high, and then drop down quite low.

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According to The Daily Mail, WeightWatchers was valued at $175 million in March 2024, whereas at its peak, it was worth $6.7 billion.

Anti-Obesity Drugs Are Set to Make Big Profits

While WeightWatchers might potentially be a thing of the past, anti-obesity drugs, such as Ozempic, are now thriving.

A graph showing the rise and fall of stock. There are green and red bars that start off quite low and then begin to gradually rise towards the end. The graph is open on a laptop and someone is holding a pen and pointing at a green bar on the graph.

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The Daily Mail has reported that the pharmaceutical industry could be set to make over $100 billion in profit over the next decade from anti-obesity drugs, with more and more people set to start using them after the success so far.

Obesity Levels Are Set to Rise in Americans

The success of anti-obesity drugs is only set to continue, with obesity continuously on the rise.

A person in a green shirt holding the fat of their stomach with both hands.

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As of 2024, around 40% of American adults are classed as obese, and this number is only set to rise, with The Los Angeles Times reporting that over 50% will be classified as obese by 2030.

Ozempic Helps Users Feel Fuller Quicker

How anti-obesity drugs like Ozempic work is by mimicking hormones we have in our brain related to food and eating.

A black and white photo of a woman standing in her underwear measuring her waist using a measuring tape.

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They make people feel fuller quicker, which means that they consume fewer calories, making weight loss possible.

Anti-Obesity Drugs Work Differently

There are two main anti-obesity drugs currently on the market, Ozempic and Wegovy, and both have different purposes.

An Ozempic injection pen. It is light purple and has a label on it that says ‘Ozempic for single patient use only’ and a number on the side with the amount of mg taken. There is a blurred image of the Ozempic box behind it.

Source: 60 Minutes/YouTube

Ozempic is for people with type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is for people with a BMI over 30, or for those with a BMI over 27 who have weight-related health issues.

Ozempic Is Costly

Though it has many benefits, one problem with Ozempic is that it costs $270 per week and $1,300 per package, and according to Healthline, you might not be able to get it on your insurance.

A box of Ozempic. The box shows a look of the pen, which is purple with a red and white label on it, and states the dose of 0.5mg.

Source: Good Morning America/YouTube

Cost is one factor that is preventing access to Ozempic for many, especially those with low incomes, as they cannot afford to pay for the drug, despite being in desperate need of it for their health.

WeightWatchers Is a Cost-Effective Weight-Loss Program

With Ozempic being pricey, WeightWatchers offers customers who want to lose weight a more cost-effective option.

A woman looking at her WeightWatchers app on her phone. The top of the screen says ‘WeightWatchers’ in bold purple writing and an image underneath that shows a Greek chicken bowl.

Source: WeightWatchers/YouTube

The WeightWatchers website states that it is currently offering a membership price of $10 a month, which is just a fraction of the price of Ozempic.

Ozempic Has Some Major Side Effects

While taking Ozempic might offer major weight loss, this comes with some worrying side effects.

A box of Ozempic with the pen on top of the box. The pen is purple with a green label with ‘Ozempic’ on it. The box states it contains 0.25mg and to use it once weekly, as well as it containing ‘1 pen and 4 disposable needles (4 doses)’.

Source: Vox/YouTube

The Daily Mail reported that some of the side effects include vivid dreams, being repulsed by favorite foods, saggy skin, more muscle loss over fat loss, and there are even some concerns of it being linked to thyroid cancer.

Novo Nordisk Is Worth $400 Billion

Novo Nordisk is the company behind weight loss drugs like Ozempic, and CNBC reports that it is reportedly worth around $400 billion.

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This is in comparison to the company’s valuation of $17.7 billion in 2018, the first full year Ozempic was on the market.

Ozempic Is Good for Weight Loss, but Users Should Be Cautious

The results show that Ozempic is good for promoting weight loss in people who are struggling with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

A woman in a pair of blue denim jeans that are too big for her. She is pulling the waistband of the jeans away from her waist and there is a gap between the two.

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However, just like all drugs, users should be made aware of any possible side effects before taking it to make an informed decision on whether this is the right weight-loss method for them.