2024 was a transformative year for Culina Health. We made meaningful progress toward our mission of delivering high-quality, insurance-covered nutrition care—and proved that we can scale without compromising clinical excellence, the patient experience, or outcomes. 

As we write this, the need for nutrition care is more urgent than ever. With 122 million Americans living with Type 2 diabetes and 42.4% with obesity, fewer than 0.2% have seen a registered dietitian (RD). At Culina Health, we’re closing that gap. This past year, we welcomed thousands of patients into care, and 93% used insurance—a 23% increase from the previous year. 

Keep reading to explore highlights from our 2024 impact report, including:

• Patient and care team demographics
• Reasons for visits and how patients are using Culina Health
• Health outcomes and chronic disease management
• How we’re increasing access to care
• And more!

Our Patients

Culina Health patients come to us from all 50 states and span all ages, races, ethnicities, and gender and sexual identities. In 2024, insurance coverage increased, and we saw more patients for specialized care.

Our model of accessible, insurance-covered virtual nutrition care is working: 93% of patients used insurance coverage in 2024, compared with 70% in 2023. The average copay using insurance was $33 per visit, which is ~60% less per visit than comparable nutrition counseling out of pocket (assuming $113 per visit). And 75% of our patients paid $0 out of pocket!

Our Care Team

Our team of RDs is proudly more diverse than the typical industry standard, and more closely mirrors our patient demographics. We offer compassionate, multilingual support, reflecting our deep commitment to representing and respecting our patients in every way. 

Research shows that patients feel more satisfied with their care when they see providers who reflect their backgrounds. A 10% increase in Black provider representation can lead to an impressive nearly 21-day increase in life expectancy for Black individuals. That’s why we’ve built a team that mirrors the diversity of the patients we serve.

Exceptional Patient Outcomes

As Culina Health scaled in 2024, our clinical outcomes didn’t just hold steady, they improved. We’re proving that it’s possible to deliver high-quality, personalized nutrition care at scale without compromising results. The Culina Health Method™, our set of standardized clinical and counseling protocols, continues to drive meaningful health improvements across weight management, chronic disease prevention, and long-term behavior change. Our patients meet their goals and sustain their progress over time. 

Long-Term, Sustainable Weight Loss

Culina Health’s average weight loss outcomes surpass standard benchmarks. According to published research, a 5% weight loss translates into significant healthcare savings—up to $2,137 per person annually for individuals with obesity. Our ability to sustain this level of weight loss over 6 to 24+ months offers a powerful tool for reducing total cost of care.

Reversing Pre-Diabetes

Culina Health’s prediabetes program offers a structured, evidence-based path to reversal. We measure Hemoglobin A1c levels in all patients enrolled in the program, track outcomes over time, and implement standardized protocols grounded in our methodology. Compared to lifestyle interventions cited in major studies, our prediabetes reversal and prevention outcomes achieve similar or better results—at a national scale. With over $7,000 in annual savings per patient, the ROI is clear. Our year-over-year results prove that we can treat, manage, and reverse pre-diabetes successfully at scale. 

Chronic Disease Prevention and Management

Nutrition care is a cost-effective solution for chronic disease management. A landmark study found that dietitian-led lifestyle interventions resulted in $3,586 lower annual healthcare costs among patients with obesity and diabetes. Our outcomes—which include superior reductions in blood pressure, A1c, and LDL—demonstrate that clinical nutrition should be a foundational pillar of chronic care delivery.

Increasing Access to Care 

We’re consistently addressing (and breaking down) common barriers to care, making it easier for patients to access and connect with an RD.

• Self-booking: Patients can schedule their own appointments anytime, from anywhere. 
• Short wait times: Providers are available within 48 hours and can be easily reached through in-app messaging.
• In-network care: We are in-network with most major insurance plans, ensuring care is accessible to 70% of the U.S. population.
• Commitment to affordability: For patients without insurance, we offer affordable out-of-pocket options and a cost guarantee for denied claims.    
• New care formats: In 2024, we launched two innovative pilot programs: group sessions and “DM a Dietitian.” Group sessions create a supportive community, offering patients additional resources beyond the one-on-one relationship with their RD. “DM a Dietitian” provides flexible access to an RD via chat, ensuring on-demand support whenever (and wherever) needed.
• Efax updates: We’ve streamlined our referral processing procedure to ensure faster follow-up with patients after receiving referrals from their providers.       

Working With Culina Health

At Culina Health, we’re committed to expanding access to affordable nutrition care. Our registered dietitians are clinically trained to provide culturally affirming, science-based, and personalized nutrition counseling to diverse patient populations. By offering this support virtually and in-network with most insurances, we’re eliminating barriers to care across the United States. We’re proud to be clinician-, women- and BIPOC-owned. 

Patients: If you’re looking for nutrition support, book a session with one of our registered dietitians.

Partners: If you’d like to partner with us, send us an email. 

Providers: If you have patients who would benefit from nutrition care, submit a referral. 

Press: For media inquiries, contact us.

And to read and explore our full 2024 Impact Report, you can download it here.