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The Noom diet is a personalized weight loss plan available through the phone app of the same name. The company behind the app claims that it helps people reach their weight goals. This Noom review examines its services, effectiveness, reputation, and more.
The Noom app provides users with a personalized diet plan and access to an online health coach.
People can also use the app to record their diet and exercise habits and to discuss their weight loss journey on Noom’s social platform.
In this article, we explore the Noom diet and outline the research into its effectiveness.
Noom is an app that aims to help people lose weight, get fit, and stay healthy.
The app uses a unique traffic light system to rank foods according to their calorie content. So-called green foods, such as spinach and broccoli, are the least calorie-dense, whereas orange foods, such as nuts and seeds, contain more calories. The idea is that people use green foods to make up the bulk of their diet and eat red foods only in small portions.
Noom creates a personalized weight loss plan for each of its users. It aims to create a plan that means someone has a safe calorie deficit that will lead to weight loss.
To receive this service, a user must purchase a Noom subscription and answer some questions on the company website or app. The Noom algorithm will then design a weight loss plan to fit the person’s needs.
Below is a step-by-step guide to starting with Noom.
The quiz
To start with Noom, a person needs to take a 10-minute online quiz on its website. The quiz asks a person questions about their:
- height
- weight
- gender
- age
- reasons why they want to lose weight
- activity level
- eating habits
- health issues such as diabetes or heart disease
- habits or behaviors that may affect their health
The website may ask a person if there have been any events in their life that have led them to gain weight over the last few years or how long it has been since they have been at their ideal weight.
Goal setting
The Noom app uses the information from the quiz to create a customized plan. It includes a realistic timeline for the person to reach their goals. The app automatically adjusts this timeline according to the person’s answers to questions on their quiz.
The next step is paying the appropriate fee. Prices vary according to the subscription a person chooses.
The individuals must then download the app on their smartphone. The Noom app uses a motion sensor to count steps, so downloading onto a smartphone is preferable to an iPad or Android laptop.
Once installation is complete, the person can sign in using the email address they used to join the program.
Meeting coaches
A few days after a person has joined Noom, they will meet their goal coach. The coach contacts their client twice weekly to ask about progress and keep them on track by sending motivational messages. Users can also speak with their coach and ask questions via in-app messaging.
A few days later, the person receives an assigned group coach and peer group for additional support. The group coach guides the peer group chat and posts weight loss tips. The peer group can also discuss the program and their health and fitness goals with other users in the group chats.
Noom’s Healthy Weight Program typically lasts 16 weeks. It aims to help people develop and maintain balanced eating and exercise habits via a structured curriculum that includes:
- one to three daily articles on nutrition, exercise, and health and wellness
- one or two interactive challenges per day
- personalized weekend content
- daily calorie tracking, food logging, and exercise logging
- weekly weight logging
Noom reports that people use the app for an average of 10 minutes daily.
The Noom diet website recommends focusing on “natural weight-loss foods” that provide energy and leave a person feeling satisfied without exceeding their recommended calorie intake.
Unlike most diets, the Noom diet does not prohibit people from eating particular foods or food groups. Instead, it uses a color-coded system that prioritizes food by calorific density (CD). This means the more water a food has, the lower its CD.
Its color-coded system aims to educate Noom users about the nutrients of different foods and help guide them into building a more nutritious diet.
Foods in each color code include:
- Green foods: Foods in this color code provide the highest concentration of nutrients and water content. They include fruits, such as watermelon and grapefruit, and vegetables, such as peppers and green leafy vegetables, and grains such as quinoa.
- Yellow foods: Foods in this color code provide more calories and fewer nutrients than green foods, so people should eat these in moderation. They include lean meats like chicken, legumes such as lentils and beans, and low fat dairy foods such as milk, yogurt, or cheese.
- Orange foods: Foods in this color code provide the lowest nutritional quality and are usually higher in calories. These include red meats, processed foods, and full-fat cheese.
Noom’s website also advises people to eat so-called superfoods, which are nutritionally dense foods. Examples include:
- spinach
- sweet potatoes
- blueberries
- chia seeds
- flaxseeds
- pine nuts
A person should ensure that their diet provides them with the following:
- a variety of macronutrients, such as protein and carbohydrates
- a range of micronutrients, which includes vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
- a limited amount of unsaturated or “good” fat
Does Noom come with recipes?
Noom offers many recipes that cater to different culinary skills and diets, including vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo, plant-based, and Mediterranean diets.
It sources its recipe database from the health website publisher Rodale Inc. and offers a choice of over 1,100 tasty and nutritious recipes. Noom divides these into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack categories, making it easy to navigate.
The recipes also include salads, juices, smoothies, soups, and healthy desserts.
All of Noom’s subscription plans automatically renew after a set time. The company charges a single fee for its monthly subscriptions, which work out at between $17 and $70 per month. Every subscription will renew automatically.
The list below details the cost of each plan. All costs are correct as of December 2023.
- Monthly: $70
- 2-month: $129 ($64.50 per month)
- 3-month: $159 ($53 per month)
- 4-month: $169 ($42.25 per month)
- 5-month: $174 ($34.80 per month)
- 6-month: $179 ($29.83 per month)
- 7-month: $184 ($26.28 per month)
- 8-month: $189 ($23.65 per month)
- 9-month: $195 ($21.66 per month)
- 10-month: $199 ($19.90 per month)
- 11-month: $205 ($18.63 per month)
- Annual: $209 ($17.41 per month)
Noom subscription costs are personalized to individual plans and may vary from the figures above.
Canceling a subscription
People can cancel their Noom subscription at any time. Noom states that users who cancel their subscriptions will still have access to all their subscription features until the end of their billing cycle.
If a person signed up to Noom through the company’s website, they can cancel the subscription through the app or via their account portal.
People who signed up directly through the app can manage their subscriptions through the App Store or Google Play.
We consider some of the advantages and disadvantages of Noom.
Pros
- Effectiveness: Noom works for most people.
- Personalization: Noom provides a personal weight loss plan.
- Professional advice: Noom enables regular check-ins with real coaches.
- Cost: Noom states its services cost the same as many wellness investments, such as annual gym subscriptions. The increases in price per subscription duration are small.
Cons
- Trial cost: Noom urges people to pay a fee to trial its services.
- Commitment: Noom requires a long-term commitment and willingness to follow the guidance.
- Technology: Noom requires users to have a smartphone or other smart devices, which excludes those who cannot access this easily.
- Customer reviews: Noom has a mixed reputation online, with a low review score rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) but more favorable scores on Trustpilot and Google and Apple’s app stores.
- Calorie-focused: The app largely focuses on users recording their calorie intake, which may be unsuitable for some people.
The BBB gives Noom an A+ rating and accreditation, while the average BBB customer review for Noom is 1.16 out of 5 stars. Generally, customers giving the lowest reviews mention the unexpected autorenewal of plans. Many people giving the highest reviews mention their weight loss success with the app and praise Noom’s customer service.
Both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store rate Noom highly, providing ratings of 4.2 and 4.7 stars, respectively.
Noom is for people who wish to achieve and maintain a moderate weight. The company focuses on long-term weight loss via nutritious eating and exercise habits rather than short-term weight loss through crash dieting.
Noom reports that when people consistently eat at the lower end of their ideal calorie range, known as their weight loss zone, they can expect to lose about 2 pounds (lb) a week. However, if someone consistently eats at the higher end of their ideal calorie range, they can expect to lose about 0.5 lb a week. This evidence derives from data that Noom users and their coaches share at regular
Is Noom suitable for vegans, vegetarians, or plant-based diets?
According to Noom, its weight loss program is one of the best for vegans, vegetarians, and plant-based diets.
It applies a plant-forward approach to weight loss by encouraging people to eat fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods are filling and have a low caloric content compared with processed foods, which have a high caloric content.
The Noom Weight program not only offers users 1,150 recipes, which include vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based recipes. It also offers mini nutrition guides to ensure that users consume their daily essential nutrients.
There is evidence that suggests that the Noom app not only helps people lose weight but also helps them maintain weight loss. Here, we discuss the research on Noom’s effectiveness.
Research into the Noom app
Apps such as Noom encourage people to self-monitor their weight loss regularly. A
Another
However, self-monitoring weight loss is a practice that tends to
Newer work includes a
The survey respondents included 840 people who reported a loss of at least 10% of their body weight using the Noom app 6–24 months before taking the survey.
Of these 840 participants, 75% maintained at least 5% of their weight loss after 1 year. Meanwhile, 49% maintained a 10% loss, and 65% of the participant’s initial weight loss was maintained after 1 year and 57% after 2 years.
Additionally, researchers of a
Researchers divided 202 participants with prediabetes into either a mobile-delivered, coach-guided DPP (Noom) or a control group that received regular medical care, which included a DPP paper-based curriculum and no formal intervention.
Results showed that participants using Noom achieved significant weight loss for up to 1 year compared with those in the regular care group. Results showed that those using Noom experienced a 5.6% weight loss at 6 months and a maintenance weight loss of 4.7%. This is in comparison with those in the regular care group, who saw a weight loss of -0.15% at 6 months and a weight gain of 0.33% at 12 months in those in usual care.
However, neither of the above studies compared the Noom app with any other app. As such, it is difficult to know whether this service is more effective than other weight-loss strategies.
A limitation of the Noom app is that it does not allow users to record information on nutrients other than caloric content. However, a nutritious, well-balanced diet should contain micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. As a result, people using the app will have incomplete information on the nutritional content and possible health benefits of their food choices. For this reason, doctors and dietitians may be reluctant to recommend the app.
Additionally, some Noom coaches do not have certification from the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching. This certification requires a coach to meet the minimum standard of knowledge and skills necessary for health and wellness coaching. Coaches without this certification could offer inappropriate advice.
It is important to note that people who have a complicated medical history should take extra care when using Noom or similar weight loss apps. These individuals should seek additional weight loss advice from a doctor, dietitian, or other healthcare professional.
Noom offers glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1) services through Noom Med, a medication program that aims to help people lose weight. This program combines Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved weight loss and diabetes medication and support for long-term weight loss.
Noom Med is available to people with a body mass index of 27 or higher. They must also have a weight-related medical condition.
People signing up for this service must receive a health evaluation by a qualified Noom physician and complete lab work before a doctor can prescribe them GLP-1 medication. If the individual qualifies for medication, the doctor will create a custom care plan that considers the person’s concerns, biology, and overall health goals.
Noom Med offers the following prescription-only medications for eligible people:
- Bupropion
- Bydureon (exenatide)
- Contrave (naltrexone, bupropion)
- Metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza)
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
- Naltrexone
- Ozempic
- Rybelsus (semaglutide)
- Saxenda (liraglutide)
- Topiramate (Topamax)
- Trulicity (dulaglutide)
- Victoza (liraglutide)
- Wegovy (semaglutide)
- Zepbound (tirzepatide)
Doctors may prescribe some of these drugs off-label. This means that while the drug may be effective for weight loss, the FDA has not approved it for this use or at every dose a doctor may prescribe.
Before the doctor prescribes medication, Noom Med states that the physician will inform the person of all the benefits and risks relating to the drug.
Currently, Noom Med physicians do not prescribe generic versions of GLP-1 medication.
Both Noom and WW can help people lose weight. However, there are important differences between the two services. The table below compares each service.
| Tracking system | App available | Support from coaches | Educational content | Excludes foods | Offers recipes | Offers GLP-1 drugs | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noom | traffic light system based on caloric density | Apple and Android | • virtual weekly check-ins | daily lessons | no | yes | yes | $17.41–$70 per month |
| WW | points system based on foods’ calorie and nutritional content | Apple and Android | • virtual coaches • in-person support groups for a fee | content on the blog and app | no | yes | yes | $10–$45 per month |
Learn more about the differences between Noom and WW.
Several apps are available to help people reach their fitness and health goals. Examples include Weight Watchers and Trim Down Club.
WW is a well-known company that takes a holistic approach to weight management. The company provides advice on food, activity, sleep, and mindset, with coaches offering expert support.
Trim Down Club is a company that aims to replace current eating habits with healthier ones. It provides customized meal plans and allows people to access nutritional advice from professional nutritionists.
The table below provides a side-by-side comparison of Noom, WW, and Trim Down Club.
| Noom | WW | Trim Down Club | |
|---|---|---|---|
| App or web | app and web | app and web | web only |
| Areas of focus | • weight loss • fitness • mood | • weight loss • fitness | weight loss |
| Food system | traffic lights | points | meal plans |
| Additional features | • progress tracking • interactive challenges • educational articles | • in-person meetings • fitness tracking • progress tracking | • web-based community • progress tracking • educational articles |
| Price | from $17 per month | from $10 per month | $9.90 per month |
People on the Noom diet may also find the following helpful for weight loss:
- tracking all food intake using the app
- drinking plenty of water
- avoiding processed foods and added sugars
- eating breakfast every day
- exercising regularly
People should discuss their weight loss plans with a doctor to ensure it is safe for their body and lifestyle. They may wish to keep in contact with a doctor while Noom is their main method of losing or maintaining their weight.
Below are answers to common questions about Noom.
The results of a 2023 study suggest that the Noom diet is effective for both weight loss and maintaining weight loss.
The Noom website states that typically, people following the Noom plan lose 1–2 pounds per week. They add that their focus is helping users achieve their weight loss goal at a “pace that’s comfortable.”
The company does not state the maximum weight loss a person could achieve in a single week. This figure likely varies from one individual to the next.
Noom creates initial custom plans in line with individual user demographics and answers to the initial questionnaire. Noom then uses this information to calculate an expected timeframe for a user’s individual weight loss goal.
Noom requires users to be very dedicated to tracking all the food and drink they eat, which some may find overwhelming or stressful. Additionally, people must pay the monthly subscription fee in one lump sum, which means users must have up to $200 available when their subscription renews, which may put Noom out of reach for some.
Research suggests that weight loss is possible when people use the Noom Weight app.
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.
As a result, Noom may not be the best choice for those living with or recovering from an eating disorder.
Noom is a weight loss program and app that provides access to a health coach, a food calorie counter, and a personalized weight loss plan. The company claims these tools can help people achieve and maintain their ideal weight.
So far, research suggests that the Noom app can be an effective aid to weight loss. However, researchers have not yet compared Noom with other weight loss apps.
People with underlying health conditions should take extra care when using Noom or similar weight loss apps. They should first talk with a doctor or dietitian to ensure the safety of their proposed weight loss goals and methods.