Motivating People with Obesity to Seek Help and Achieve Sustained Weight Loss

ABSTRACT

As reported by the World Health Organization in 2017, over 4 million people are dying annually from being overweight or obese. Obesity affects nearly 2 billion adults worldwide and is prevalent not only in high-income countries, but also among urban populations of low- and middle-income countries. Obesity is a complex chronic condition, and losing weight is not just a question of eating less and moving more. In fact, obesity can be influenced by genetics, physiology, environment, job and education, and what is going on in the brain. Obesity is much more than just excess weight. It is associated with over 200 complications affecting an individual’s health and various organ systems. Some of the complications include heart disease, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and cancer. People living with obesity also face stigma and bias, and many feel ashamed about their weight and blame themselves, making it difficult for people living with obesity to seek information and help. Therefore, Novo Nordisk Denmark is looking for new approaches to induce people living with obesity to take action, with the goal of promoting long-lasting change.

This is an Ideation Challenge with a guaranteed award for at least one submitted solution.

OVERVIEW

Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters. The healthy weight range corresponds to a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9, whereas obesity is classified as having a BMI ≥ 30. As of 2017, more than one in six adults in Denmark (17%) were defined as obese and this percentage is expected to increase. Obesity in adults has grown continuously during the past decade and is a major public health issue in Denmark with rising cost implications to the healthcare system. People living with obesity struggle to lose weight and maintain the weight loss and this chronic condition is characterized by loneliness, stigmatization, and a significant emotional burden. As a leading force in the science behind obesity, Novo Nordisk Denmark desires innovative strategies to provide support and motivation for people during their weight loss journey.

This is an Ideation Challenge, which has the following unique features:

• There is a guaranteed award.  The award(s) will be paid to the best submission(s) as solely determined by the Seeker. The total payout will be $20,000, with at least one award being no smaller than $10,000 and no award being smaller than $2,500.
• Preliminary evaluation of the submissions will be conducted by the Seeker to select a shortlist of approximately 10 Solvers, who will each participate in a 30-minute interview. To determine the monetary award, up to five finalists of this Challenge will then be selected and given a unique opportunity to present their ideas at a virtual event tentatively scheduled for September 2021. More details will be available after the Challenge deadline.
• The Solvers are not required to transfer exclusive intellectual property rights to the Seeker. Rather, by submitting a proposal, the Solver grants to the Seeker a royalty-free, perpetual, and non-exclusive license to use any information included in this proposal, including for promotional purposes.

Full eligibility details and restrictions are found in the Challenge-Specific Agreement.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on August 20, 2021. 

Late submissions will not be considered.

After the Challenge deadline, the Seeker will complete the review process and make a decision with regards to the Winning Solution(s). All Solvers that submit a proposal will be notified on the status of their submissions; however, no evaluation of individual submissions will be provided.

Novo Nordisk Denmark desires a solution

1. To motivate people living with obesity to reach out for help from healthcare professionals (especially general practitioners are essential but it could also be nurses, pharmacists, etc.), who can provide support and inform them about the available tools and treatments;
2. To maintain the focus and determination of people living with obesity to sustain the weight loss permanently.

Obesity is a complex condition and people have different mindsets, needs, and goals. Solvers are encouraged to consider emotional, physical, and social relationships that contribute to the struggle of living with obesity.

Any proposed solution should address the following Solution Requirements: 

1. Must target people between the ages of 25 and 60
2. Must be applicable specifically to Denmark
3. Must be implementable in 12 months

Project Criteria

The submitted proposal should include:

1. A detailed explanation of an approach that can meet the above Solution Requirements;
2. The rationale as to why the Solver believes that the proposed strategy will motivate people of different mindsets to take sustained action;
3. A discussion of stakeholders, potential partners, communications channels, budget, and timeline needed for implementation;
4. A statement of your willingness, in principle, to engage with the Seeker to develop the proposed idea further.

The proposal should not include any personal identifying information (name, username, company, address, phone, email, personal website, resume, etc.) or any information the Solvers may consider as their intellectual property they do not want to share other than the personal information agreed to be shared by having agreed to the terms & conditions as set out in the Challenge-Specific Agreement.

This is an Ideation Challenge, which has the following unique features:

• There is a guaranteed award.  The award(s) will be paid to the best submission(s) as solely determined by the Seeker. The total payout will be $20,000, with at least one award being no smaller than $10,000 and no award being smaller than $2,500.
• Preliminary evaluation of the submissions will be conducted by the Seeker to select a shortlist of approximately 10 Solvers, who will each participate in a 30-minute interview. To determine the monetary award, up to five finalists of this Challenge will then be selected and given a unique opportunity to present their ideas at a virtual event tentatively scheduled for September 2021. More details will be available after the Challenge deadline.
• The Solvers are not required to transfer exclusive intellectual property rights to the Seeker. Rather, by submitting a proposal, the Solver grants to the Seeker a royalty-free, perpetual, and non-exclusive license to use any information included in this proposal, including for promotional purposes.

Full eligibility details and restrictions are found in the Challenge-Specific Agreement.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on August 20, 2021. 

Late submissions will not be considered.

After the Challenge deadline, the Seeker will complete the review process and make a decision with regards to the Winning Solution(s). All Solvers that submit a proposal will be notified on the status of their submissions; however, no evaluation of individual submissions will be provided.