Small study tests support after GLP-1 treatment

What support belongs in the plan after a medication change? A small pilot offers an early look. We explain the limits and the difference between clinical meal programs and everyday meal prep.

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Commercial prepared meals for illustration; not the study intervention

By SmashMeals Editorial — 2026-10-07 — Health & Nutrition

A small trial is examining support after GLP-1 medication ends. In an October 7 release, Wiley described a four-month pilot published in Obesity Science & Practice involving 39 adults who had lost weight during treatment. They were randomized to usual care, a digital wellness app or medically tailored meals when treatment ended.

Estimated body-weight gains were 10.75% with usual care, 3.60% with the app and 3.58% with the meals. All three groups gained weight. The release reported no statistically significant group differences in diet quality, perceived health, adherence or satisfaction.

“People invest significant time and effort in improving their health and achieving weight loss,” corresponding author Kelseanna Hollis-Hansen, PhD, MPH, of Tufts University’s Food is Medicine Institute, said in the release.

An early result with important limits

These findings come from a small, short pilot. They should not be treated as proof of long-term results or evidence that the app and meal approaches work equally well. This report is based on the publisher’s release; the full study was not available for review.

There is also a crucial distinction in the type of food support being discussed. The Tufts Food Is Medicine Toolkit describes medically tailored meals as prepared meals based on therapeutic dietary recommendations, with plans assigned following an individual assessment by a registered dietitian nutritionist. That clinical process is different from choosing a meal from an ordinary commercial menu.

Keep the care team involved

If a medication change is being considered, the prescribing clinician should guide that decision. Ask what follow-up will look like and whether a dietitian or a clinically tailored food program is appropriate. Bring practical questions, too: how the plan will fit your schedule, what it will cost, and whom to contact if you are struggling.

For meal planning, write down the days you can cook and the days you need something ready. Bring that picture of your week to the conversation. It gives your care team something concrete to work with instead of a plan built around an ideal schedule.

SmashMeals can play an everyday role in reducing cooking, but this trial did not study SmashMeals. It provides no basis for claiming that our meals prevent weight regain, replace treatment or provide medically tailored nutrition.

“Our role is to make everyday meals easier to organize. If medication or a medical condition is part of the picture, your care team needs to guide the plan.” — Lew Kizer, SmashMeals

If ordinary prepared meals fit the plan you make with your care team, browse SmashMeals ordering and review the available information against your needs. Ask for any details you need before ordering. This article is general reporting, not individual medical advice.

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