Virtual strength coaching tied to better body composition in Omada GLP-1 program, study finds

A 12-week virtual program that adds strength-focused activity coaching to GLP-1 weight-loss treatment was linked to more weight loss and a better mix of fat and muscle loss than usual care, according to a study published September 1, 2026, in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism ^[1]. In the evaluation of 245 adults, those in the program lost an adjusted mean of 6.0% of their starting body weight, compared with 3.3% for those who received usual care ^[1].

The gap between the groups was 2.8 percentage points (p < 0.001) ^[1]. The comparison came from a quasi-experimental trial, which means participants were not randomly assigned to the program or to usual care ^[1].

How the study was set up

Everyone in the study had obesity and had started GLP-1 therapy for weight loss within eight weeks before the study began ^[1]. Of the 245 adults, 151 took part in the virtual program and 94 received usual care ^[1]. Body composition was measured with home bioelectrical impedance analysis scales ^[1].

The program group's body fat percentage fell 3.3%, versus 1.6% in the control group (p < 0.001) ^[1]. Muscle mass percentage rose 0.6% in the program group versus 0.2% in the control group (p < 0.01) ^[1]. The program group also had greater improvements in psychosocial and behavioral measures, according to the study ^[1].

Who ran it and what is not known

Lead author Lisa A. Stanton and her five co-authors all work for Omada Health Inc. of San Francisco, which sells the program and sponsored the study ^[1]. The authors state they receive salary and equity compensation but no commissions or other pay tied to the results, and that the sponsor had no role in deciding how the data were analyzed or how the results were interpreted beyond what the manuscript describes ^[1].

Several details are not in the published results. The study does not identify which GLP-1 medications participants used or at what doses, does not report dropout rates or side effects, and does not say what the program costs or how many coaching sessions it involves. Whether the changes amount to a difference in pounds of fat or muscle has not been reported; the results are given as percentages.

Because participants were not randomly assigned, the design cannot rule out that people who enrolled in the program differed from those who did not in ways the analysis did not capture ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

Rapid weight loss from GLP-1 medications is frequently accompanied by disproportionate loss of lean mass, especially in the early phase of treatment, the study notes ^[1]. The authors describe physical activity, and resistance training in particular, as the most effective behavioral strategy for increasing fat reduction while preserving lean mass ^[1].

The study's design places strength-focused activity alongside GLP-1 treatment from the start, rather than as a later step. But it looked only at adults who had recently begun GLP-1 therapy, so it does not show what a similar program would do for someone who has been on a GLP-1 for a year or more, and no such results have been reported ^[1].

The numbers reported are group averages. The study does not report how many people in either group gained muscle, lost muscle, or saw no change, and it does not report results by age, sex or starting weight.

What happens next

The paper appeared in the journal's early view section on September 1, 2026, and its peer review history is available ^[1]. No follow-up beyond 12 weeks has been reported, and it is not yet known whether the body composition differences between the two groups persist after the program ends. The underlying data are not publicly available, though the authors say they may be available on request ^[1].