Here's what we'll cover
Here's what we'll cover
Here's what we'll cover
Explore the latest insights on GLP-1s, obesity care, telehealth, and innovation
Ro is dedicated to using real-world evidence and clinical research to advance patient care. Every day we use data and insights to deepen our understanding of patients’ goals, GLP-1s, obesity care, and metabolic health.
Our research is powered by ro.OS—our technology platform, which brings together nationwide telehealth, lab, pharmacy, and insurance concierge services. By combining that vertically integrated data at scale, Ro can deliver unique insights spanning real-world patient experiences (e.g., adherence and persistence), outcomes (e.g., weight loss, lab results, and quality of life), barriers to care (e.g., affordability and access), and innovation (e.g., digital health and AI tools).
We regularly share our research—alongside our renowned clinical advisors and partners—in peer-reviewed journals, at scientific meetings, and presentations. We’ll update this research hub on a rolling basis as we have new abstracts, data, and insights to share.
Is Food Noise Linked to PMOS? There's More to Learn
Presented at ENDO 2026: Examining the Relationship Between Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS)and Food Noise Using a Validated Scale
Authors: Brooke Smith, MS, Emily Ho, PhD, Raoul Manalac, MD, DABOM, Sam Chai, PhD, Beverly Tchang, MD, Lauren Broffman, PhD
Ro is digging in to understand food noise, and how it affects people living with under-researched conditions like PMOS. In this study, we examined whether women with Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) experience higher levels of food noise , using the validated Ro Allison Indiana Dhurandhar (RAID) Food Noise Inventory in a large real-world cohort of Ro patients.
Summary
Food noise, defined as persistent and intrusive thoughts related to food, has gained increased attention in obesity care and GLP-1 treatment conversations. As more patients describe how food noise affects their lives, there is growing interest in better understanding the biological, hormonal, metabolic, and behavioral factors that may contribute to it.
PMOS is associated with a range of hormonal and metabolic changes, including higher rates of obesity, insulin resistance, anxiety, and diabetes risk. While these factors may influence eating-related experiences, limited research has explored whether PMOS itself is associated with higher levels of food noise.
Ro sought to evaluate whether women with PMOS experience higher levels of food noise using the validated Ro Allison Indiana Dhurandhar (RAID) Food Noise Inventory. We analyzed electronic health record data from 75,000 women ages 18–44, including 10,302 with PMOS, who sought treatment for overweight or obesity on Ro.
Although patients with PMOS had higher rates of obesity, anxiety, and prediabetes/diabetes, PMOS itself was not independently associated with food noise. More research is needed to explore the relationship between PMOS and food noise.
Key findings
PMOS was not independently associated with higher food noise levels after adjusting for demographic, health, hormonal, and metabolic factors.
Patients with PMOS were more likely to have:
Higher baseline BMI
Anxiety
Prediabetes or diabetes compared with patients without PMOS.
Sensitivity analyses suggested age may act as a confounding factor in the relationship between PCOS and food noise.
Patients taking birth control reported significantly higher levels of food noise
As the role of food noise in people's lives continues to be better understood, further research may help clarify how hormonal and metabolic conditions influence patients’ experiences with food noise. Read the full poster here.
Better Sleep, More Energy, and Less Daytime Sleepiness on Zepbound
Presented at ADA 2026: Sleep-Related Outcomes in Patients With OSA Treated With Tirzepatide for Obesity or Overweight via Telehealth
Authors: Brooke J Smith, MS, Lauren Broffman, PhD, MA, Sam Chai, PhD, Raoul Manalac, MD, DABOM, Nitin Vaswani, MD, MPH, MBA, Kristina Babakhanova, PharmD, Paula Akenbauer, BS
Ro patients with overweight or obesity and a history of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) reported meaningful improvements across multiple sleep-related outcomes after treatment with tirzepatide.
Summary
Clinical trials make clear that GLP-1s can improve patients’ lives well beyond weight loss. Ro is focused on evaluating whether our patients can achieve the non-scale outcomes observed in trials through real-world treatment via telehealth. For so many patients, these non-scale outcomes—such as sleep improvements tied to OSA—are goals as important as weight loss.
OSA is a condition that impacts tens of millions of Americans yet has long had limited treatment options. Zepbound’s (tirzepatide) approval for OSA marked an important milestone, given the significant impact sleep apnea can have on patients’ daily lives. In clinical trials, adults with moderate-to-severe OSA and obesity experienced significant reductions in breathing disruptions and body weight after one year of treatment with Zepbound.
In our abstract, we analyzed EHR and survey data from patients with overweight or obesity and a history of OSA who received tirzepatide treatment on Ro. We were encouraged to see real-world patient-reported outcomes that aligned with findings observed in clinical trials. Most patients reported improvements in sleep-related symptoms after Zepbound treatment on Ro, including energy levels, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and snoring.
Key findings
86.7% of patients reported improvement in at least one sleep-related outcome;
77.3% reported improvements across multiple symptom areas;
Improvements were reported across several day-to-day quality-of-life measures, including:
72.4% reported improved energy levels
60.2% reported reduced daytime sleepiness
59.7% reported improved sleep quality
59.1% reported reduced snoring
Our findings suggest that the sleep-related benefits observed in clinical trials may also be replicable in real-world telehealth settings – an important measure of the quality of care on Ro. Read the full abstract here.
Treatment Switchers Report More Side Effects on GLP-1s
Presented at ADA 2026: Comparing Adverse Event Rates Across GLP-1 Treatment Groups in a Real-World Telehealth Cohort
Authors: Lauren Broffman, PhD, Brooke Smith, MS, Louis Aronne, MD, FACP, Sam Chai, PhD, Raoul Manalac, MD
In this study, we evaluated adverse event (AE) reporting patterns among patients on Ro treated with semaglutide, tirzepatide, as well as those who switched between therapies.
Summary
As more GLP-1 treatment options become available, Ro is focused on helping patients better understand their options and supporting them throughout their individual treatment journeys. Side effects are a common part of the patient experience and can influence long-term treatment adherence and persistence.
On Ro, patients can report side effects in three ways: during required refill visits at regular intervals, at any time through the Ro app, or via a direct message to their care team if they experience symptoms or side effects between visits.
To better understand the real-world treatment journeys, we evaluated the rate of side effects reported by patients who switch therapies compared with patients who remained on a single medication. Patients who switched therapies reported higher overall and category-specific adverse event rates compared with patients who remained on a single medication.
Patients switch therapies for a variety of clinical (e.g., efficacy, tolerability) and non-clinical reasons (affordability, insurance coverage). Understanding who experiences side effects can help providers to better counsel patients on their treatment options and support patients who switch.
Key findings
66.1% of patients who switched therapies reported at least one adverse event, compared with 56.4% of patients on continuous therapy.
Gastrointestinal side effects were consistently more common among patients who switched medications.
Among switchers:
47.7% reported nausea or upset stomach
28.7% reported constipation
20.8% reported diarrhea
The findings suggest that patients who switch therapies may experience a different tolerability profile than those who remain on a single GLP-1 treatment.
These findings add to growing real-world evidence about how treatment selection and switching may influence the patient experience and outcomes during obesity care. Read the full abstract here.
