Controlling GLP-1 Waste with Dietitian-Led Care

GLP-1 medications have changed what’s possible in treating obesity and metabolic disease, but they come with a significant price tag. At an estimated $9,600 per patient per year, stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem are increasingly concerned about whether that spend turns into lasting results.

A new analysis compares Nourish patient outcomes with published real-world benchmarks to estimate where dietitian-led care plays a role in helping keep that spend from going to waste. Nourish offers three GLP-1 care pathways (nutrition-first, companion, and off-ramp), with each personalized to the health history and goals of patients interested in medication. Each pathway helps to avoid GLP-1 waste through a different mechanism.

Nutrition-first: 10% of Nourish patients are on a GLP-1, compared with 23% of U.S. adults with overweight or obesity; with dietitians as the first touchpoint of care, medication is used only when it’s clinically appropriate. That gap accounts for the largest share of the estimated waste avoidance, at $1,248 per patient.

Companion: Patients on GLP-1s are more likely to discontinue early when side effects and everyday questions go unaddressed. With regular dietitian support and daily tracking between visits, 76% of Nourish patients who start a GLP-1 are still on it at six months, compared with the 61% seen in real-world data. Staying on treatment long enough for it to work is worth an estimated $360 in waste avoidance per patient.

Off-ramp: Coming off of a GLP-1 poses its own risks, including weight regain. With dietitian support through this transition, 64% of Nourish patients maintain weight loss 12 months after discontinuing, compared with 49% in real-world data. Fewer patients losing ground means fewer second courses of medication, and an estimated $576 in waste avoidance per patient.

Much of the value that GLP-1s can deliver is contingent on factors outside of the prescription itself, including who gets one, how long it’s used, and what happens when it ends. A registered dietitian at the center of care ensures medication gets used only when it’s needed, for as long as it’s working, and with a plan for what comes next.

Read the full analysis here.