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A new study by researchers at the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, in partnership with 1199SEIU and collaborators, has been published in BMC Public Health. The paper examines outcomes from a fully subsidized behavioral weight management program offered to healthcare workers living with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
The study evaluated participation in the WW (formerly WeightWatchers) program among 1199SEIU members and found that participants experienced meaningful reductions in BMI over time. Among participants with type 2 diabetes, the study also found improvements in HbA1c control. Researchers additionally found that higher engagement with the program, including workshop attendance and self-monitoring behaviors such as food and activity tracking, was associated with stronger health outcomes.
The publication also incorporated qualitative interviews with participants to better understand barriers and facilitators to engagement. Participants identified factors such as demanding work schedules, caregiving responsibilities, stress, and time constraints as barriers to participation, while program accessibility, accountability, and social support emerged as important facilitators.
The paper highlights the importance of public health partnerships in generating real-world evidence around chronic disease prevention and management, particularly for healthcare workers who often face structural barriers to prioritizing their own health.
More broadly, the findings point to the potential value of accessible, employer-sponsored behavioral health programs in supporting diabetes management and improving health outcomes among working adults.
“Our findings emphasize that behavioral support matters,” says Institute Director of Evaluation Katherine Tomaino Fraser. “Participants who used the program more actively saw greater improvements, and the results point to real potential for combining lifestyle intervention with medication management.”
