Nutrisystem Celebrates 40 Years and More Than 70 Million Pounds Lost Over the Past Decade

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutrisystem, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRI), the leading home delivery weight loss program, is ushering in its 40th anniversary year with a celebratory new promotion as well as a look back at four decades of helping people lose weight and get healthy.  Within the past decade alone, customers have lost over an estimated 71 million pounds on the Nutrisystem® program – equivalent to the weight of over two Lucas Oil Stadiums (made of 16,000 tons of steel), home of Super Bowl XLVI.   

To commemorate Nutrisystem's 40th anniversary, the Company is promoting 40% savings on all of its 28-day auto delivery programs. This limited time promotion, starting today, Wednesday, February 1, enables customers to save approximately 40% off the monthly cost of the Nutrisystem SUCCESS™ program, the Company's best program to date.

"This Company was founded on the belief that there has to be an easier way for people to lose weight," says Joe Redling, Nutrisystem's Chairman and CEO. "Nutrisystem's innovative approach – to combine low-calorie prepared meals based on the science of the Low Glycemic Index (GI) with counseling and medical supervision – has withstood the test of time and is responsible for millions of pounds being lost on the Nutrisystem program. As we usher in our 40th anniversary year, we thought the most fitting celebration was one that recognized the people who have made Nutrisystem what it is today – our customers – and give them a great savings offer."

SUCCESS™: The Best Nutrisystem® Program Ever

Last month, Nutrisystem announced the launch of SUCCESS, its most substantial reformulation in years. The Nutrisystem® SUCCESS™ approach is designed to help take the weight off and keep it off through frequent, portion-controlled, balanced nutrition and low Glycemic Index eating. 

The SUCCESS program offers the Company's largest ever assortment of fresh-frozen meals including new signature artisanal Chef's Table™ dinner entrees, developed by Nutrisystem's Celebrity Chef Culinary Council using revolutionary advanced steamer technology; new chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and coffee flavored high quality protein shakes used in conjunction with Nutrisystem® entrees to help improve satiety and to create an optimized nutrition profile; the introduction of a personalized "My Daily 3™" physical activity program; and increased personalization and flexibility through transition and maintenance plans that help consumers manage their weight on their own. 

Pioneering Nutritional Science

Nutrisystem's heritage is one of pioneering efforts to change the way people not only lose weight, but also how they think about losing weight. Through its 40-year history the Company has focused on the science behind nutrition to help people lose weight, eat healthy, fight cravings, stay full longer and maintain weight loss. One of the Company's early employees and key developer was Dr. Jay Satz, a microbiologist dedicated to innovative thinking and breakthrough approaches in nutritional and dietary science. It was Dr. Satz who pioneered reduced calorie, portion-controlled, pantry ready meals and later introduced the Glycemic Index measurement to the Nutrisystem® menu.  Currently, Dr. Satz is the Senior Scientific Advisor to Nutrisystem.

That tradition of using science to solve the complex issue of weight loss and management continues today at Nutrisystem under the leadership of Dr. Bruce Daggy, Senior Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Science Officer. The Company believes that a combination of satisfying nutrition plus behavior and attitudinal changes is the key to long-term success for its customers.

"From early childhood, people learn by doing. As three-year olds, we weren't reading books or attending counseling sessions, yet we learned a great deal," says Daggy." Nutrisystem uses this learn-by-doing approach to eliminate the guesswork around the quality, quantity and frequency of food intake.  'Now I get it' is something we hear regularly from our customers.  While losing weight and improving their health, they are learning habits that will also help them succeed over the long-term."

"As our country faces a growing obesity epidemic, Nutrisystem is committed more than ever to helping people reclaim their lives and health," adds Redling. "We are very proud of what we have accomplished over the last 40 years and are looking forward to helping America shed millions of more pounds in the years to come."

Since its founding in 1971, Nutrisystem has grown and changed as the diet and fitness category has evolved. Its most recent history begins when the Company moved its sales and customer interaction online. Below is a look at some of the key consumer highlights from this period:  

Key Highlights

1999: Nutrisystem.com is launched
2001: NutriSystem begins selling its program through QVC
2003: A new food line, NutriSystem® Nourish®, is introduced with Low Glycemic Index eating
2006: New Men's program soars with Dan Marino as first celebrity spokesperson
2007: Introduction of Nutrisystem® Silver® with Don Shula as spokesperson
2008: Introduction of Nutrisystem® Advanced® with improved nutritional science
2008: Marie Osmond loses 50 pounds on Nutrisystem and becomes a brand evangelist
2009: Publication of the first clinical trial of Nutrisystem in managing Type 2 diabetes, and the launch of Nutrisystem® D®, aimed at people living with Type 2 diabetes who want to lose weight and manage their diabetes
2009: Nutrisystem® Select® (fresh-frozen meals) and Costco gift cards become available
2009: Nutrisystem proudly supports the American Diabetes Association in its movement to Stop Diabetes™, as a National Promotional Sponsor, to help in increasing awareness of the correlation between weight loss and improvements in diabetes control
2010: Nutrisystem launches its website for healthcare professionals, www.nutrisystem.com/hcp
2011: Celebrity Chefs Council formed and new fresh-frozen Chef's Table Collection™ dinner line debuts
2011: Nutrisystem named "Least Expensive Home Delivery Program" by CBS Money Watch
2011: A clinical trial confirming the benefits of Nutrisystem in managing Type 2 diabetes, including patients on virtually all diabetes medications, was presented at the annual conference of the Obesity Society
2011: Launch of SUCCESS, Janet Jackson introduced as Brand Ambassador for the 2012 diet season
2011: My Daily 3™ activity component added to program for the 2012 diet season
2012: Terry Bradshaw loses 32 pounds and champions Men's program
2012: Nutrisystem tallies more than 71 million pounds lost over the last decade on Nutrisystem

Nutrisystem customers lost more than 71 million pounds over the past decade, which is equivalent to approximately:

• 281,746 NFL Players (average NFL Player = 252 pounds)
• 10,142,857 Vince Lombardi Trophies (this Super Bowl award weighs in at seven pounds)
• 408 Boeing 737's (most popular commercial plane) at maximum take-off capacity weight of 174,200 pounds
• Expressed as sticks of butter laid end-to-end, would nearly circle the globe at the equator

To celebrate Nutrisystem's 40th anniversary and to receive 40% off the Nutrisystem® SUCCESS™ program, please visit www.nutrisystem.com/success4u or call 1-888-841-2572.

About Nutrisystem, Inc.

Nutrisystem, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRI) is the number one home delivery weight-loss company. Nutrisystem® products are sold direct to the consumer through nutrisystem.com, by phone, and at select retailers, with convenient home delivery. The Company offers proven nutritionally balanced weight loss programs designed for women, men, and seniors, as well as the Nutrisystem® D® program, specifically designed to help people with type 2 diabetes who want to lose weight and manage their diabetes. The Nutrisystem® program is based on 40 years of nutrition research and the science of the low glycemic index, and offers a variety of great tasting, satisfying, good carbohydrate meals that are designed to be heart healthy. The program was named the "Least Expensive Home Delivery Program" by CBS Money Watch in January 2011. The program has no membership fees and provides weight management support and counseling by trained weight-loss coaches and online and mobile weight management tools free of charge. Nutrisystem proudly supports the American Diabetes Association in its movement to Stop Diabetes™, as well as to help in increasing awareness of the correlation between weight loss and improvements in diabetes control. For more information or to become a customer, visit http://www.nutrisystem.com or call 1-800-435-4074. For the healthcare professional, please visit http://www.nutrisystem.com/hcp . Follow Nutrisystem on Twitter @nutrisystem and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nutrisystem.

SOURCE Nutrisystem, Inc.