Weight loss startup Noom confirms more layoffs (2024)

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Weight loss startup Noom confirms more layoffs? ›

The latest reductions mark the third round of job cuts at the company in less than a year. Noom confirmed it had conducted another workforce reduction, marking the third round of layoffs at the digital weight loss company in less than a year.

In a statement, a Noom spokesperson confirmed there were job cuts at the company, saying, “As part of Noom's continuing efforts to build a more efficient company focused on meeting the evolving needs of our customers, we made the difficult decision to reduce a portion of our workforce.

The Noom controversy is that its app has triggered disordered eating in some users because of its focus on a calorie-restricted diet, food tracking, and regular weighing. Although it markets itself as an anti-diet weight loss solution, many people believe it encourages the same behaviors as traditional diets.

Noom has raised $627.8M over 14 rounds. Noom's latest funding round was a Series F for $540M on May 24, 2021. Noom's latest post-money valuation is from May 2021. Sign up for a free demo to see Noom's valuations in May 2021 and more.

In addition to the auto-renewal and billing complaints, Noom faced criticism from experts and consumers for its weight loss program. While branding itself as different from other diets, the app has previously set very low calorie goals that dietitians say put users at risk of side effects.

In 2022, Noom settled a lawsuit that alleged it had misled users into signing up for subscriptions that were difficult to cancel. In October, Bloomberg reported Noom had begun searching for a new CEO to replace cofounder Saeju Jeong, who will become executive chairman when a successor is named.

But in reality, Noom intentionally created a difficult cancellation process, so users who were unable to withdraw in time were instantly back charged for months of service. This “automatic enrollment trap” led to more than 1,000 complaints with the Better Business Bureau and ultimately the lawsuit. See Third Am. Compl.

“Despite its potential benefits, Noom's cost can be a disadvantage to some, as the program requires a subscription fee,” Costa says. “The app's focus on weight loss, calorie counting, and color-coding foods can perpetuate a restrictive mindset, potentially triggering disordered eating behaviors.

Noom's diet recommendations are restrictive and hierarchical in a way that promotes disordered eating. When a user downloads Noom's app, it onboards them by asking them how much weight they want to lose and how fast they want to lose it.

However, while Noom can serve you in the short term by helping you change your eating habits and practice mindful eating, some experts recommend against using weight-loss apps like Noom. "A strict diet protocol, or labeling foods in any way, isn't a healthy practice.

Do people actually lose weight with Noom? ›

While research on Noom's effectiveness is limited, one 2016 study involving nearly 36,000 Noom users found that 78% experienced weight loss while using the app for an average of 9 months, with 23% experiencing more than a 10% loss compared with their starting weight.

Weight-loss app Noom, known for its psychology-based approach to dieting which is oft the subject of controversy, is downsizing. The $3.7 billion platform laid off 180 coaches on Thursday in what was described as "an evolution to the coaching model," per Business Insider.

If you're still figuring out your weight journey, Noom Med can help you determine if Ozempic is right for you. If you qualify, you will be paired with a clinician who will speak to you about your goals, health, and all treatment options, including Ozempic.

Kelly said she changed her diet.

“I eat a healthy mix,” she said. “I dropped weight because I've been listening to my doctor—a couple years I didn't. And 90 percent of the time I'm really good at it because a protein diet is good for me anyway. I'm a Texas girl, so I like meat—sorry, vegetarians in the world!”

It's one of the few programs we found with a psychology-based approach, encouraging behavioral changes and focusing on nutrition and weight management education. Noom's psychological and educational strategy helps you gain knowledge to build and sustain healthier habits.

Just like most weight loss programs, Noom relies on calorie counting, which often fails to sustain results long-term. When calories are restricted, the body's metabolism slows down as a natural response to conserve energy.

Many people complain that the coaching is inconsistent (and some say practically non-existent) and that the responses feel canned. People also complain that the database lacks many foods, is unreliable, and that tracking food on this plan is a big pain.

Employees rate Noom 2.7 out of 5 stars based on 1,228 anonymous reviews on Glassdoor. In 2020, Noom employees have voted their company to be one of Glassdoor's Best Places to Work.

Noom health coaches are trained through a program called Noomiversity. This program is over 75 hours long and provides an education in health and wellness. The program aims to provide coaches with the needed skills to guide people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.