Enara is the all-in-one platform for physicians and patients, offering a shame-free, multidisciplinary weight loss program that helps patients lose an average of 41 pounds through non-surgical interventions.
My journey into obesity started while researching a type II diabetes app during my fellowship at Stanford Medicine X. As I heard user stories, I saw a previously unmarked challenge with those experiencing obesity. People were talking negatively about themselves; ‘I’m a failure,’ ‘I’m fat,’ and ‘What is wrong with me?’ Guilt was getting in the way of health activation, and it was a vicious cycle.
To me, it begged the question: Why are doctors and society making people feel guilty, and how can we solve it?
I dove into the medical literature looking for answers and discovered that both our weight and appetite are mediated by a myriad of biological, genetic, and environmental factors. There were also no diets, programs, or therapies that demonstrated sustained weight loss outside of bariatric surgery.
It was time to challenge the way healthcare deals with weight loss. It is time to change the conversation to obesity care.
Obesity is a silent epidemic that, despite being a top health issue worldwide, is consistently neglected and stigmatized in the medical field. More than 110 million American adults have obesity and, 70% are overweight. Obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and type II diabetes are among the leading causes of 2.8 million preventable deaths annually.
Unfortunately, these comorbidities only worsened the effects of COVID-19. CDC models estimate that, between March and November of 2020, 30.2% of Covid-related hospitalizations were attributed to obesity.
These are just some of the many reasons why Enara built a platform to help clinics offer multidisciplinary obesity programs that are data-driven, stigma-free, and accessible.
Today we’re proud to announce Enara’s $6 million in seed funding led by an incredible group, including Offline.VC, Charge.VC, Crossover.VC, Continuum.VC, VSC Ventures, and notable angels, including Raj Kapoor, Kevin Mahaffey, and Matt Brezinga. Combined, these investors bring experience from top companies such as Tonal, Lyft, ClassPass, and FitMob.
Until recently, bariatric (or weight loss) surgery was considered the most effective way to lose significant weight. Non-surgical methods, from prescription medication to fad diets, often prescribed and practiced in isolation, do not holistically treat patients to create sustainable habits and yield long-lasting results.
Enara is the all-in-one platform for physicians and patients, offering a shame-free, multidisciplinary weight loss program that helps patients lose an average of 41 pounds through non-surgical interventions. By doing so, it has produced long-term weight loss results that previously had only been seen with sleeve gastrectomy, commonly referred to as stomach stapling.
Our program intervenes at precision moments in a patient’s weight loss journey to find the right therapy at the right time, without judgment, diets, fads, or surgery. It uses data and emerging science to custom design user programs, focusing on the whole person and considering factors like sleep, stress, metabolic profile, and physical activity. Enara’s partner clinics and medical providers work with insurance to cover the program’s cost.
Newer obesity medications that produce “blockbuster” results have recently been or will be approved by the FDA. We know from health care’s experience with heart failure and diabetes, that medications work best when encompassed within multi-modal and holistic programs, often referred to as centers of excellence.
Enara is enabling clinics to create digital centers of excellence, optimizing for both clinical effectiveness and cost utilization when it comes to obesity medications. Enara also allows clinics to offer an effective program to many individuals who can not or do not want to take an obesity medication.
Society continues to believe that obesity is a lifestyle choice, and people spend hundreds of millions of dollars on new diets, supplements, and programs trying to lose weight. When people regain or fail to lose weight, this leads to a cycle of frustration, self-blame, and guilt.
Enara is here to reimagine a broken system and enable patients to live happier, longer, and healthier lives. To learn more about Enara Health and find a provider near you, visit EnaraHealth.com.
