Ozempic is coming for gyms. Here’s how they’re responding
CNN
America’s gyms are adjusting their strategies as more of their members take weight loss drugs.
America’s gyms are adjusting their strategies as more of their members take weight loss drugs. Luxury gyms such as Life Time and Equinox are acquiring weight loss clinics with doctors who can prescribe GLP-1s, the powerful new class of medications that has proven to be highly effective at helping people shed weight, as well as designing exercise programs specifically for people taking the medications. The industry is undergoing a major shift as Baby Boomers start to age out of the typical gym-going population, and new medications enable easier weight loss. Oprah’s famous WeightWatchers commercials are out (the company’s stock tumbled this week on the news that she was stepping down from the board), and doctors and strength training are in. Ozempic, Wegovy and other GLP-1 prescription drugs have swept through wealthier demographics of the country. US health care providers wrote more than 9 million prescriptions for Wegovy and other injectable drugs used for weight loss during the last three months of 2022 alone. JPMorgan researchers estimate that 30 million people may be taking GLP-1 drugs by 2030, or around 9% of the US population. While the impact of GLP-1s on exercise on the body still isn’t fully understood, gyms want to make sure they are not left behind in the shift to weight loss drugs. The industry has historically made billions of dollars from people hoping to lose weight. But gyms are still about building muscle, too. One common side effect for some patients taking these medications is muscle loss. So gyms are now starting to market their brands to existing members who say they are on GLP-1s, and hoping they can add memberships in the future as people on these medications seek to keep and build muscle.
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