Nikki Hart: nutritionist on WeightWatchers filing for bankruptcy

It's the end of an era - as WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy after 62 years in business.

The company's New Zealand arm closed in-person workshops last year, and it's seen struggles across the world as weight-loss trends change.

Nutritionist Nikki Hart says the advent of injectable treatments like Ozempic has played a role in the company's downturn.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now weight Watchers is filing for bankruptcy in the US.
The weight loss service has run for more than sixty years,
but recently ran into a little bit of trouble. According
to brand tracking platform Tracksuit, awareness of the weight Watchers
brand in New Zealand has dropped by twenty two percent
in just the last two and a half years, which
is stunning. I would have thought Nicky Hart is a
nutritionist and with this now, Hey Nikki, Hey Helen, what

(00:20):
went wrong for them?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Oh? Look, I think it's multifactorial. I mean, if you
look back sixty years ago, the messaging around weight loss
was really simple, eat less, do more. But we know
it's more complicated than that now. And I wonder if
if I look at maybe and it was predominantly women
who were using it way back in the day. I
think we've matured. We're coming out the other end going, actually,

(00:43):
I'm not buying into this now, and I need to
look after my nutrition. Are there other ways that I
can look after my health well being in my weight
And maybe it's not weightwatches.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
But Nicky, I thought it was always just I still
think it's about maths, isn't it. It's calories and have
to be fewer than calories out Ah.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
I know, because like when you look at all the
environmental factors and stuff at play now, and you've got
to look at genetics and other things as well, So
I think there's more to it. I think there's also
with the advent of injectibles, the glcasim antagonists, I think
that's playing a role in this as well.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
So we found a shortcut, isn't that The truth, Nicky,
is that we've found that you can give yourself a
little injection in the butt like ozenpic and it's much
easier than cutting down your calories.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, but it's expensive, Heather, you know, like you're looking
at at least five hundred dollars a month to be
able to do this. So I don't actually think it's
about as simple as an injectible either. I think there's
the shift now that that whole input output thing we
now know that's say, for example, increasing your protein gives
you greater satiation, so you don't tend to want as

(01:50):
much food. So there's a lot of women now who
are doing a higher protein level in their diet, realizing
they don't need to restrict their calories and eat rice
cakes and bean sprouts, and so feel that they can
lose weight without doing.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
Niki, what what are you telling me that if I
eat myself a gigantic piece of steak, what a satiation?
So that'side.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yes, you can feel fuller on the type of food
that you're eating.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
But though still calories and and calories outgo. I feel
like we're getting distracted, but I'm loving it. Isn't it
still the same? Because if I eat a gigantic piece
of steak that maybe two hundred grams is four hundred calories,
then I'm not going to want to have all the
chocolates and the cakes and stuff, right, so it keeps
me full of for longer. Therefore, I still am taking
in fewer calories.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yep, but the craving. So that's what ozenpic and stuff
does is that they block you wanting sweet refined carver
hydrate especially, and so therefore you're not getting those refined calories.
But we still can't afford you to be malnourished. We
still can't afford you to become micronutrient deficient because you're

(02:55):
eating too low in total calories. We want the calories
you do consume could be yeah, totally.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
Yeah, I hear.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Okay, so it's that for me.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
Okay, So Nikki, what the planning to do at weight
watches now is to do Tellyhealth. Is that going to work?
Because it sounded to me like the Telly Health is
basically going to be a teallyhealth service that helps you
to get a prescription for the things like ozmpic andn
we go V and so on.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Yeah, but I think we, I personally think that you
shouldn't you shouldn't need that either. I believe that if
you are under the guidance of your GP or healthcare professional.
I don't know where the place is for weight watches,
but back in the day, like weight watches, we used
to have our lovely John Burkbeck who was their medical
advisor here in New Zealand, and it was based on

(03:40):
our food and nutrition guidelines, Heather, That's what it was originally,
and then it kind of morphed into this whole kind
of points system, and I think women were like saving
all their points up and eating pizza, you know, because
they could save their points up and do it that way,
and that wasn't good nutrition, Whereas I think was the
advent of social media and these GLP one things. Women

(04:02):
especially are sourcing their information a little bit more credibly
and going well, Actually, what do I need for my
health and well being? Not just for white loss but
for everything else and long juvident.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
Yeah, thank you, that's fascinating. I really appreciate it. Nikky Hart, Nutritionist.

Speaker 2 (04:17):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio