Nearly two in five adults in the U.S. have obesity, a condition that raises the risk of serious health issues like diabetes, heart disease and osteoarthritis. The good news? Losing just 5% to 10% of your body weight can significantly reduce these risks.
For some, the path to weight loss begins with commercial diet programs offering prepackaged meals, structured plans or community support. Among the most popular are Nutrisystem and Weight Watchers, two programs with shared goals but different approaches. Here’s how they compare.
[Read: Healthiest Frozen Foods and Meals.]
Nutrisystem Overview
Nutrisystem was founded in 1972 as a brick-and-mortar operation in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, and since then has grown to become one of the leading providers of prepared meals and nutritional support for people seeking to lose weight.
“Nutrisystem provides ready-made meals and snacks that fit within their semi-custom meal plans designed for weight loss. You start by selecting a plan that fits your needs, such as vegetarian, high-protein, men’s or women’s, and picking meals from their menu,” says Meghan Novoshielski, a Pennsylvania-based registered dietitian and expert nutrition and health writer. “Once your food arrives, you can use their app to follow the meal plan, track your progress, connect with community members and access recipes and educational content.”
With the app, you get a personalized meal plan and calorie range based on your unique goals and health variables. Log your progress and the app will intelligently adjust your meal plan as you lose weight.
[SEE: Top Nutrition Tracking Apps.]
However, it’s not all prepackaged meals with Nutrisystem. You’ll need to add in some of your own grocery items like fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy fats, notes Novolshielski.
Nutrisystem uses a high-protein, low-glycemic plan designed by dietitians to control hunger and support blood sugar management. A high-protein diet can help with weight loss and prevent regaining weight by influencing hunger-related hormones.
The glycemic index is a way of assigning values to foods based on how they impact blood sugar levels. Foods with a lower glycemic index cause less disruption to blood sugar levels throughout the day. The glycemic index can be a useful tool, but many factors affect a food’s glycemic index, such as its variety, and how it is grown, prepared or chewed.
All of Nutrisystem’s meal plan options come with online coaching and meal support, says Macy Diulus, a Houston-based registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Nutrisystem prides itself on using quality ingredients and avoiding artificial flavors or sweeteners.
[READ: Factors That Contribute to Weight Loss and Weight Gain]
WeightWatchers Overview
WeightWatchers is currently the largest commercial weight-loss program in the world.
“WeightWatchers uses a points system for foods to simplify eating healthy rather than needing to count calories, protein, fat and carbs each day,” says California-based sports and media dietitian Sarah Alsing. “Nutrient-dense foods have fewer points to encourage you to eat them more often.”
When you sign up with WeightWatchers, you’ll be assigned a certain number of points and have access to an app. The app includes over 11,000 recipes, weight and activity trackers, 350+ no-track ZeroPoint foods that don’t count toward your points budget and more.
“For additional support, you can opt for coach-led support workshops, available online or in-person, or explore weight-loss medications through the WeightWatchers clinic if you qualify,” says Novolshielski.
Diulus highlights that WeightWatchers goes beyond just tracking points by encouraging sustainable lifestyle changes. “Weight Watchers is designed to provide flexibility, allowing individuals to enjoy a variety of foods while working toward their weight management goals. This approach focuses on healthy eating habits, physical activity, and long-term behavior changes rather than restrictive dieting.”
Health Benefits
Both Nutrisystem and Weight Watchers can help you achieve weight loss, which can lead to health improvements such as:
— Lowered blood pressure
— Reduced risk of developing diabetes
— Reduced risk of stroke
— Reduced risk of some cancers
Both programs promote balance and variety in their approaches to eating. They focus on portion control and making healthier food choices rather than recommending drastic changes like eliminating entire food groups.
Health Risks
While both Nutrisystem and Weight Watchers take a balanced approach to eating, there are some risks and other considerations to keep in mind. It’s important to note that, in general, pregnant women or children shouldn’t focus on weight loss.
Nutrisystem
According to Diulus, Nutrisystem’s curated meal plans may limit sustainability because they focus on short-term weight loss rather than promoting long-term lifestyle changes. She notes that Nutrisystem’s claim of “Lose up to 7 pounds your first 7 days” is concerning, as rapid weight loss is neither sustainable nor recommended; a healthier goal is losing one to two pounds per week.
Additionally, Novoshielski explains that Nutrisystem offers popular comfort foods with an improved nutritional profile, adding fiber and protein to items like muffins and pizza while removing ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. However, she notes that it’s still packaged food, which may not align with everyone’s health goals or taste preferences.
Nutrisystem meals might help you lose weight while you are on the program, but you could gain the weight back once you stop if you don’t learn how to eat healthy outside of the program, says Alsing. Participants may need additional support to adopt healthy eating habits when transitioning to preparing their meals.
WeightWatchers
Novoshielski explains that WeightWatchers simplifies food tracking by condensing various nutrition details into one easy-to-understand number. “But it’s still a lot of work learning the Points system, figuring out what you can eat within your budget, and handling the planning, shopping and cooking for all your meals.”
Additionally, while flexibility is a key feature of WeightWatchers, it can also create opportunities to overeat and slow your weight loss progress. For example, the program offers a list of ZeroPoint foods, like fruits, vegetables, eggs and chicken breast, that don’t count toward your points budget. However, zero points don’t mean zero calories; these ZeroPoint foods can contain anywhere from 60 to 230 calories.
“While it’s unlikely you’ll overeat these foods, it’s possible,” notes Novoshielski. It’s important to practice moderation.
Any diet that’s intended for weight loss can trigger an eating disorder or a relapse of an eating disorder in people who’ve battled these issues in the past. Therefore, these individuals should approach any weight loss or diet system with caution and seek the support of a therapist or dietitian who specializes in supporting people with eating disorders.
[READ: Best Fast Foods for WeightWatchers]
Costs
When evaluating Nutrisystem and WeightWatchers, understanding the costs of each program is essential for making an informed decision.
Nutrisystem
Nutrisystem offers three main plans: Signature Programs, High Protein or Low Carb Plans and All Breakfast or All Dinner Plans.
— The Signature Program pricing starts at $241.79 per shipment for a 6-shipment plan.
— With the High Protein or Low Carb Plans, you receive one meal provided per day. Plans start at $107.89 per month for a four-month commitment.
— The All Breakfast or All Dinner Plans provide 28 meals (either all breakfasts or all dinners) for the month. Pricing starts at $107.89 per month for the All Breakfast plan and $165.99 per month for the All Dinner plan.
WeightWatchers
WeightWatchers offers three membership options: Points Program, Workshops and Weight-Loss Medications.
— The Points Program starts at $11 per month and includes a personalized points budget, the app, a food plan, and access to a registered dietitian, which may be free with qualifying insurance.
— The Workshops membership, starting at $22 per month, includes everything in the Points Program plus live coaching and support groups.
— The Weight-Loss Medications membership starts at $49 per month, offering all the benefits of the Points Program along with personalized care for GLP-1 weight-loss medications, though the cost of the medications themselves is not included.
Which Is Better?
“There’s never going to be one best weight-loss approach for everyone. I encourage anyone considering these programs to look closely at what they offer and honestly assess how well they fit into their life,” says Novoshielski.
Alsing notes that Nutrisystem is ideal for those who prefer to skip the meal planning and preparation process and rely on premade meals. On the other hand, she says WeightWatchers works well for individuals who want to follow simplified healthy eating guidelines to create their own meals and navigate eating out.
If a short-term self-guided program sounds appealing, Nutrisystem might appeal to you, says Diulus. Remember, you can start with a one-month commitment with Nutrisystem. Nutrisystem’s Partners Program, available under the Signature Plan, allows for joint participation, offering a unique support system that could help some individuals achieve their weight loss goals, notes Diulus.
While Nutrisystem offers healthy meals, Alsing points out it doesn’t help when eating while traveling or attending events where you face food decisions. On the other hand, WeightWatcher’s Points system helps guide you in making healthy food choices wherever you are.
In the Long Run
When choosing a commercial weight loss program, it’s also worth considering what research reveals about long-term weight loss outcomes (12 months or more).
Studies have shown that people in the WeightWatchers in-person program lost between 3.1% and 5.5% of their weight after 12 months. Research also shows that Weight Watchers members lose more weight than a control group when they follow the program beyond 12 months.
As for Nutrisystem, a 2016 systematic review found participants lost 3.8% more weight than control groups at 3 months, but no studies included in this review tracked results beyond 12 months. However, there were limitations in the study, such as missing data that could have skewed the results.
It’s important to remember that when trying to lose weight and eat healthier, the goal is to develop sustainable habits that help you lose weight and keep it off, says Alsing. If a program doesn’t work out, explore other solutions that might be a better fit.
WeightWatchers | Nutrisystem | |
Food | Supply your own food and meal planning based on the PersonalPoints system. | Prepared meals and snacks feature a high-protein, low-glycemic index plan. |
Weight Loss | Claims you can shed up to 3.5 times more weight on its program | Claims up to 7 pounds of weight loss in the first seven days |
Support | 24/7 in-app chat feature available. In-person or phone/online coaching sessions and group meetings are available with some plans. Dietitian access can be added to your plan. | Online and phone support from consultants and user forums. |
Health Benefits | May reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. | May reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. |
Health Risks | Not advised for pregnant women or children under 18. | Not advised for pregnant women or children under 18. |
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Nutrisystem vs. WW (Weight Watchers) originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 01/28/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.