MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Digbi Health, a research-driven precision healthcare company, today announced a collaboration with The West Virginia University Medicine Medical and WVU Bariatrics Surgical Weight-Loss Program to utilize Digbi Health's personalized digital therapeutics platform to better understand the role of gut microbiome and human genetics in postoperative weight loss and maintenance.
This clinical pilot will evaluate the effectiveness of Digbi Health's obesity management digital program personalized to each bariatric surgery patient, one-year post sleeve gastrectomy, based on their lifestyle, genetic and gut microbiome risks, in further reducing weight and maintaining weight loss. Obesity is a complex metabolic disease and an ongoing epidemic, with associated inflammatory, digestive, musculoskeletal, skin morbidities, as well as a risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, COVID-19, and reduced life expectancy, which currently affects 42 percent of the adult population in the United States. Bariatric surgery is the most effective long term intervention for morbid obesity, and successful bariatric surgery outcomes depend on lifelong changes in eating patterns and social support.
Research indicates individuals' genetic and gut microbiome makeups are intrinsically linked to their metabolism and following personalized nutrition recommendations and meal plans curated to an individual's genetic and gut microbiome markers may assist with further weight loss and ongoing weight maintenance post sleeve gastrectomy.
"WVU Bariatrics is excited to partner with Digbi Health to better understand how genomic, gut microbiome and metabolomic factors can contribute to successful weight loss following bariatric surgery," said Nova Szoka MD, FACS, FASMBS, Assistant Professor at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Bariatrics Surgical Weight-Loss Center and principal investigator of the study.
"Digbi Health is the first company to operationalize a genetic and gut microbiome-based prescription-grade platform for doctors and payers to deliver weight loss, digestive health, and diabetes care programs at scale," said Ranjan Sinha, CEO, and founder of Digbi Health.
"Digbi is committed to empowering people suffering from obesity and chronic inflammatory lifestyle illnesses, struggling with ineffective one-size-fits-all diets, with personalized nutrition and lifestyle support that works for them. Through this collaboration with WVU Medical, we aim to deeper explore the critical importance of personalized nutrition and its direct impact on people suffering from obesity and associated illnesses," said Sinha.
More information about J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Medical, and Surgical Weight-Loss Center can be found here.
About Digbi Health
Digbi Health is a first-of-its-kind precision digital therapeutics company that offers a prescription-grade digitally enabled personalized obesity and obesity-related gut, skin disorders, hypertension, and other cardiometabolic health management programs based on an individual's gut biome, genetic risks, blood markers, and lifestyle factors. Digbi Health and members of its physician network are committed to empowering people to take control of their own health and wellness. Digbi Health is prescribed by doctors, healthcare providers, and insurance companies.
