By using this website, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.
Preferences
DenyAccept All

Annual Report on Metabolic Disease Reversal

Join now

The Annual Report on Metabolic Disease Reversal

A note from our CEO

For decades, America has been sold a lie: that metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and obesity are irreversible, one way roads to misery. Gain weight? Take this shot. Develop type 2 diabetes? More injections. Blood pressure creeping up? Add another prescription to the list. More meds, more side effects, more costs, for life.

This is the sick-care system, a model built to manage disease symptoms over root cause reversal. 

Nearly all American adults, 93%, show signs of poor metabolic health. The chronic diseases that follow drive an estimated $1-$1.5 trillion of healthcare spending and cause 7 in 10 deaths every year.

Imagine telling someone that it’s impossible for them to be healthy again. Or that changing what you eat is “too restrictive,” while amputations, blindness, kidney dialysis, and daily injections are acceptable. When did surrender become healthcare’s default setting?

At Virta, we don't accept that metabolic disease is "normal." We see reversal happen every day, at scale.

A new kind of care fueling metabolic disease reversal

If metabolic disease is reversible, the next question is: how?

Over the last decade, Virta’s combined the best of human care and nutrition science with the speed and precision of technology.

  • A radically personalized, nutrition-first approach that doesn’t rely on hunger and restriction
  • Real human support from coaches, nurses, and providers
  • Continuous remote monitoring and biomarker tracking
  • AI support trained on millions of interactions for real time, individualized care

We’re not managing symptoms of 10+ conditions. We’re reversing the root cause of metabolic disease through personalized, tech-enabled nutrition.

Our mission is bold: reverse metabolic disease in one billion people. We know reversal is possible; we see it every day among our several hundred thousand members treated.

The reversal revolution isn’t coming, it’s already here. Join us.

Sami Inkinen
Co-Founder and CEO, Virta Health

Read More

What is metabolic disease, and why does it matter?

Metabolic disease occurs when the body’s ability to turn food into energy breaks down. Traditionally, our healthcare system diagnoses and treats metabolic disease as at least 10 different conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, inflammation, and more.
It all comes down to one root cause: poor nutrition. Metabolic disease isn’t about weak willpower or genetics. It’s a food problem, and food can’t be fixed with drugs.

From milestone to movement

Some still say reversal is impossible, that it’s too hard, too restrictive, too unrealistic. To them we say: watch us.

Reversing metabolic disease isn’t a theory. It’s measurable, sustainable, and happening every day at Virta. This is our living record of reversal: pounds lost, prescriptions eliminated, lives and dollars saved.

This is the dawn of a new era in health. The revolution to reverse metabolic disease isn’t just possible. It’s happening.

Reach & Scale
Outcomes
Cost & Impact
Rx Reduction
Victories
12M
US Lives Covered
200k+
Members Treated
550+
Organizations Served
4M+
Lbs Lost
3.0 pt
Avg A1C Reduction in High-Risk Patients
56%
Reduced Incidence of Heart Attack, Stroke, or Death
$1B
Saved in Healthcare Costs
45,000
Fewer Doctor Visits
9,600
Hospitalizations Avoided
75M
Units Insulin Eliminated
$20M
In Savings from Insulin Alone
$118M
GLP-1 Costs Avoided
500,000+
New pairs of jeans
2,000+
Seatbelt extenders eliminated
Every claim in this report is grounded in real data.
‍
We believe transparency builds trust, so we show you exactly how we know reversal works. Detailed sources and analysis methods are available in the Data + Methodology appendix.
      

Call it What You Want. It’s Metabolic Disease.

Call it what you want. It’s metabolic disease.

They’ll call it obesity. Diabetes. Fatty liver. High blood pressure. Heart disease. Inflammation. But these aren’t separate diagnoses, they’re different faces of the same condition: metabolic disease.
When you’re living with metabolic disease, your body fights against you: storing fat while being constantly hungry, spiking insulin, driving sugar cravings, and raising risk for everything from kidney disease to stroke.
Fad diets burn out. GLP-1s quiet hunger signals at the expense of unpleasant side effects. Virta treats the root, healing your body and putting you back in control.

The wins go beyond the scale: blood sugar and inflammation comes down, cardiovascular risk falls, and energy soars. And that’s just the beginning.

This isn’t a surface-level fix. It's a full restoration from the inside out.
Learn more about Virta

Over 4M pounds lost

The equivalent of 8 Statues of Liberty

Average Weight Loss

 
13%
Avg at 12 months
Nutrition Only
9%
Avg at 9 months
Nutrition + Rx
10%
Avg at 9 months

4M+ lbs lost

That is the equivalent of 8 Statues of Liberty

Average 
weight loss

13%
Avg at 12 months
Nutrition Only
9%
Avg at 12 months
Nutrition + Rx
10%
Avg at 12 months

Fixing your metabolism means stronger years ahead.

Cardiovascular Disease

56%
Reduced Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke, or Death
30%
Reduction of CVD Risk
53-64%
Reduction in all-cause mortality

Chronic Kidney Disease

33%
Decrease in risk of new CKD diagnoses
45%
Decrease in risk of CKD diagnoses of stage 3+

Whole body health improvements

39%
Decrease in inflammation
60%
Decrease in liver fat score
11%
Reduction of hyper-tension medication

We don't just change numbers, we change lives

71%
Report Brighter Moods
81%
Report More Energy
29%
Decrease in signs of Clinical Depression
46%
Report Improvement in Knee Pain
17%
Decrease in Poor Sleep

Member Stories

“
I have lost over 100 pounds ... no longer use a cane or have back pain, and am no longer pre-diabetic. Virta has saved my life!
Kathy S.
“
I have lost over 40 pounds and now have the energy for training for sports with my high schooler.
Thomas D.
“
I started Virta with the intention to manage my diabetes... so I will be around for my kids and future grandkids.  I didn’t expect to have my physical health improve so drastically!
Dorisa W.

Ten Names, One Disease, One Solution: Reversal.

Ten names, one disease, one solution: Reversal.

What looks like 10+ different diagnoses is really just one condition: metabolic disease. But here’s the thing: Metabolic disease isn’t permanent or progressive. It can be reversed.
It starts with food: cereal, bread, soda, even “healthy” granola. Their sugar and processed carbs flood the body with insulin, over time driving insulin resistance, fat storage, exhaustion, and the stack of diagnoses above.
While GLP-1s affect how much you eat, they don’t change what you eat, and will keep you chained to a lifetime prescription with varying side effects.
‍
Virta helps members eat real food in a way that fuels their bodies, not their disease. They eat until they’re full, and in doing so, shift from fat-storing to fat-burning, often leaving medications behind.

Our members don’t manage their disease. They reverse it.

No more needles.

96%
Stop Type 2
Diabetes in its tracks
Virta keeps prediabetes from progressing
$20M
Back in patients’ pockets: a decade of insulin savings.
75M
Units of
Insulin Eliminated
That’s enough insulin to weigh as much as a city bus

After one year on Virta

50%
Decrease in members with severe obesity
8x
Increase in members in normal weight range

Member Stories

“
I don't feel restricted, just healthier and responsible for being the best me. And the best part is, I don't struggle anymore with bad eating habits.
Jacqueline B
“
Virta has absolutely saved my life! I dropped 50 pounds in 9 months… My A1c dropped from a 6.8 to a 5.3… Thank you, Virta!
Charlie R, Virta Member for 9 Months

Not Just For the Few. For All.

Not just for the few. For all.

Metabolic disease doesn’t 
discriminate. And healthcare 
shouldn’t either.

93% of U.S. adults are metabolically unhealthy. Yet the system leaves too many behind:
People in rural towns, Medicaid populations, underrepresented groups, and older adults.

Virta proves it doesn’t have to be this way. Reversal’s already happening for anyone, anywhere. For those on tight budgets. With food allergies. Without access to fresh groceries. Across every age, background, and lifestyle.

What makes it possible? A virtual care model powered by millions of interactions. Coaching that anticipates needs. Providers that respond quickly to needs. And care that scales without compromise.
Learn more about Virta

A1c Reduction

3.0% pt
Average for high-risk members, including those aged 65+ and in communities with high socioeconomic disadvantage, as measured by the Area Deprivation Index (ADI)

Weight Loss

Average across age and socioeconomic groups
>10%
Aged 65+
>10%
Across all ADI groups

Type 2 diabetes Deprescription

Average elimination of diabetes prescriptions at one year
44%
for all Virta Members
49%
for members aged 65+
42%
for members living in ADI 4-5

From BBQ to biryani, Virta fits every plate

Cuisines Enjoyed
85%
American
71%
Latin American
62%
Mediterranean
56%
Asian
Nearly a quarter of our members follow specific dietary guidelines such as dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, halal, or kosher, all easily supported within Virta’s flexible approach

Member Stories

“
I lost 32% of my weight and finally felt like myself again. Virta helped me get my life back.
Alexis K.

The Price of Surrender.

The price of surrender.

Metabolic disease isn’t just stealing years, it’s draining wallets. Ten diagnoses mean 10+ prescriptions, complications, and hospital visits, stacked into a trillion-dollar bill that climbs every year.
Virta changes the math. By reversing metabolic disease at the root, members reduce or eliminate costly medications, from insulin and blood pressure drugs to GLP-1s, while improving health.
GLP-1s do the opposite, with price tags that rival a mortgage.
Virta proves the real economics of reversal, with fewer visits, prescriptions, and complications, and longer, healthier lives.
$1B
Saved in Healthcare Costs
45k
Fewer Doctor Visits
9.6k
Hospitalizations Avoided
50%
GLP-1s Cut
$118M
GLP-1 Costs Avoided

Member Stories

“
Virta has dramatically changed my life... They have helped me realign my relationship with food and my mental health.
Morgan M.
“
We'll continue eating this way for the rest of our lives because it's easy and healthy.
Joanne W

Quick Fixes Fade. Reversal Lasts.

      

Quick fixes fade. Reversal lasts.

Crash diets strip pounds only to see them come back. “Personalized nutrition” apps count macros or calories, but don’t tell you what works for your metabolism. GLP-1s quiet hunger but don't change what you eat and lock you into a lifelong prescription. None reverse metabolic disease.

Virta does. Our individualized approach resets how the body regulates blood sugar, insulin, and hunger. The result is a complete metabolic reset and reversal of metabolic disease at the root.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

From: Oatmeal, Cereal, Juice

Click to Swap

From: Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Click to Swap

From: Pasta with Tomato Sauce

Click to Swap
That’s why members stay on Virta twice as long as they do GLP-1's, because life feels better. This is what reversal looks like: not just a smaller number on the scale, but getting back a life you thought you’d lost.

Our year in numbers

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Coaches Sent
4M+
Messages
Members aren’t just logging, they’re building daily habits.
Those actively engaged with their coach lose
50-100%
more weight in 6 months than those who don't
That’s over
11,000+
Healthy Choices Every Day
Foods Reviewed or Analyzed
22,000+
Every month with Food Checker
Meals Created
330,000+
Every month using Virta’s Meal Planner
Biomarkers Logged
10M+

Member Stories

“
I’ve lost 36 more pounds and my A1C is now normal! This way of eating is sustainable and it makes me accountable.
Tracy P, Virta Member for 5 Months
“
I had tried lifestyle changes before but between the Virta program, and my encouraging Virta coach Elyse, it "clicked" this time.
Suzy H

Stop managing.
Start reversing.

We’ve been told we have “diabetes,” “obesity,” “high blood pressure,” “heart disease,” as if they’re separate problems. They’re not. They’re different faces of the same underlying problem: metabolic disease.

The system teaches us to add meds to treat symptoms, not solve problems. Virta takes a different path. Reversal doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen every day.
Members are losing 100 pounds, running their first 5K, slipping on a wedding ring they couldn’t wear for 18 years, and seeing their grandkids get married.
If you’re tired of being told that decline is inevitable, it’s time to take back your health. Metabolic disease is one condition, and it can be reversed. Virta proves it, one person at a time.

Together, we can build a new future for health: one where the story isn’t more prescriptions and higher costs, but freedom, strength, and life restored.

Join Us.

Learn more about metabolic disease

Data and Methodology

Every number in this report is backed by real results drawn from Virta’s extensive body of clinical research and real-world outcomes.

Our data come from peer-reviewed clinical trials conducted over varying study periods, Virta’s longitudinal program datasets spanning the past decade, and de-identified, aggregated real-world results from our active book of business and from a data clearinghouse.

Weight-loss outcomes represent average results among members who began Virta with a BMI ≥ 30. A1C reduction outcomes reflect high-risk type 2 diabetes members who started with a baseline A1C ≥ 9%, evaluated at one year unless otherwise noted.

Each analysis is independently reviewed and validated by Virta’s data science and research teams to ensure methodological accuracy and consistency with findings. Together, these data tell a clear, consistent story: reversal works, at scale.