WeightWatchers 2010 Annual Report Download - page 18

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f overweight and obese people has steadily increased around the world over the past 20 years and is estimated t
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each approximately 3.0 billion by 201
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, primarily driven by changing eating patterns and increasingly sedentar
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lifestyles. Between 2007 and 2008,
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8% of Americans over the age of 19 were considered overweight and almost
half of these were obese. Numerous diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure and Type II diabetes
,
are associated with being overweight or obese. We believe the growing population of overweight people who are
motivated by both an increasing awareness of the health benefits of weight loss and the desire to improve thei
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appearance is fueling the growth in demand for weight management programs. We believe this growth and
awareness is also a result of an increasing willingness of employers and governments to promote and contribut
e
towards the cost of weight management programs
.
O
ur
S
ervices and Products
Our Weight Management Plans
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n each of our markets, we offer services and products that are built upon our weight management plan
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which are comprised of a range of nutritional, exercise and behavioral tools and approaches. P
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P
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Pr
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P
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, our current weight management plans, are innovative, new systems, with similar methodologies
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developed from a combination of the latest nutritional scientific research and insights of customers who have
experienced prior Weight Watchers plans. For example, the P
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int
s
Plu
s
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ystem is similar to the patented P
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INT
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eight Loss System as it specifies a simple value for each food. Th
e
P
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P
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value of a food, however, i
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determined by a unique and proprietary formula based on the food’s protein, carbohydrates, fat and dietary fibe
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content. The formula takes into account how these nutrients are processed by the body as well as their impact on
satiety. Subject to certain nutritional guidelines, consumers following the P
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int
s
Plu
s
p
rogram can eat any food
as long as the
Po
int
s
Plu
s
v
alue of their total food consumption stays within their personalized
Po
int
s
Plu
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“budget”. Since nutritious foods generally have low
Po
int
s
Plu
s
values, this approach guides consumers towar
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healthier eating habits. Under the
Po
int
s
Plu
s
program, consumers are taught different techniques shown to help
them in their weight loss efforts, such as being encouraged to choose specified “Power Foods” as part of thei
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aily “
Po
int
s
Plu
s
Target” to, among other things, maximize eating satisfaction in relation to other similar foods.
“Power Foods” are foods that are shown to be healthier and more satisfying food choices based on unique an
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p
roprietary formulas assigned to categories of similar foods. At the end of 2009 and during 2010, the Pr
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P
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nt
s
p
rogram was launched in Continental Europe. At the end of 2010, we launched the
Po
int
s
P
l
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program in the
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nited States and Canada, and the
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P
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nt
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program in the United Kingdom and Australia.
O
ur Meeting
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We present our program in a series of weekly meetings of approximately one hour in duration. Meetings ar
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conveniently scheduled throughout the day. Typically, we hold meetings in either meeting rooms in civic or othe
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community centers or in leased locations.
O
ur group support system remains the cornerstone of our meetings. Members provide each other support by
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haring their experiences and by providing encouragement and empathy with other people experiencing similar
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eight management challenges. This group support provides the reassurance that no one must overcome thei
r
w
eight management challenge alone. Group support assists members in dealing with issues such as emotional
eating and finding time to exercise. We facilitate this support through interactive meetings that encourag
e
learning through group activities and discussions
.
I
n our meetings, our leaders present our program in a manner that combines group support and educatio
n
w
ith a structured approach to food, activity and lifestyle modification developed by credentialed weigh
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management experts. Our more than 12,000 leaders run our meetings and educate members on the Weight
W
atchers method of successful and sustained weight management. Our leaders also provide inspiration and
motivation for our members and are examples of our program’s effectiveness because they have lost weight an
d
maintained their weight loss on our program.
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