Zava vs Second Nature

Jump to: Quick comparison | What each service offers | Clinical evidence | Support and coaching | Medication options | Pricing | Aftercare and maintenance | Who should choose each | Frequently asked questions | Take home message

ZAVA and Second Nature both prescribe Mounjaro and Wegovy in the UK, but they’re fundamentally different types of service.

ZAVA is primarily a prescription service; Second Nature is a structured weight management programme with medication included.

ZAVA is one of Europe’s largest digital healthcare platforms, offering fast access to weight-loss medication with medical oversight from GMC-registered doctors. They’ve delivered over 7 million consultations since 2011 and have a 4.3/5 Trustpilot rating from over 11,000 reviews.

Second Nature is a specialist weight management provider that has worked with the NHS since 2017. Our published research in JMIR Formative Research reports an average 19.1% weight loss at 12 months with semaglutide and dietitian-led coaching.¹

The right choice depends on what you’re looking for. If you want affordable, fast access to medication with medical oversight, ZAVA is a strong option.

If you want a structured programme with dietitian coaching and peer support alongside medication, Second Nature is designed for that.

This guide was written by Second Nature, so it naturally reflects our perspective, but we’ve aimed to present ZAVA’s strengths and limitations as fairly as possible.

ZAVA vs Second Nature: quick comparison

What each service offers

These are different types of service, so it’s worth understanding what you’re actually getting before comparing prices.

ZAVA: prescription service with medical oversight

ZAVA is an online doctor service that covers over 45 health conditions, including weight loss.

Their weight-loss service works like this: you complete an online consultation, a GMC-registered doctor reviews it, and if appropriate, medication is prescribed and delivered to your door, often within 24-48 hours.

Their clinical team includes named leads such as Dr Babak Ashrafi (Clinical Lead for Service Expansion) and Dr Anju Verma (Clinical Lead for Weight Loss), who is SCOPE-certified, the international gold standard for obesity management.

Alongside medication, ZAVA provides a free support pack (from their in-house nutritionist) with your first order, including trackers and meal plans. You can also message a doctor for free through your patient account and receive regular weight check-ins.³

What ZAVA doesn’t offer is a structured behaviour change programme, 1-to-1 coaching from a dietitian, or peer support groups. Their model is built around efficient, affordable access to medication rather than ongoing behavioural support.

Second Nature: programme provider with medication

Second Nature is built specifically for weight management. Rather than prescribing medication alone, the service pairs Mounjaro or Wegovy with a structured behaviour change programme delivered by registered dietitians and nutritionists.

The programme runs across four phases and covers nutrition (using a balanced plate model rather than calorie counting), physical activity, sleep, and the psychological aspects of eating behaviour.

You’re assigned a dietitian or nutritionist available five days a week through in-app messaging, and placed in a small peer support group with others at a similar stage.¹

The programme also includes a custom app with daily educational content, food and mood tracking, and over 300 recipes.

Clinical evidence and outcomes

Second Nature

Second Nature has published programme-specific outcomes in peer-reviewed journals. Our 2025 study in JMIR Formative Research examined 12-month outcomes for participants using semaglutide with behavioural support and found¹:

• 19.1% average weight loss at 12 months for active subscribers
• 77.7% achieved at least 10% weight loss
• 61.5% achieved at least 15% weight loss
• 69% reported no side effects by month 12

These are completer results (people who stayed on the programme for 12 months), not intent-to-treat. Results for the full cohort, including those who dropped out, would be lower.

Separately, an NHS evaluation published in the BMJ found that Second Nature achieved substantially higher weight loss than four other providers in the National Diabetes Prevention Programme.²

ZAVA

ZAVA does not publish programme-specific weight-loss outcomes in peer-reviewed journals. Their website references the clinical trial data for the medications they prescribe (for example, up to 22.5% weight loss with Mounjaro at the highest dose over 72 weeks, and 21% with Wegovy 7.2 mg over 72 weeks).³

ZAVA does cite internal data: their website states that patients lose an average of around 15kg over their treatment and 4 inches around their waist, based on a survey of over 2,000 patients.³ This hasn’t been published in a peer-reviewed journal, so the methodology and context aren’t independently verified.

This doesn’t mean ZAVA’s service is ineffective; the medications themselves have strong evidence from clinical trials. It means there’s no published data on whether ZAVA’s specific service model (medication plus a support pack and doctor check-ins) produces different outcomes than medication alone.

Support and coaching

This is where the two services differ most.

Second Nature

Day-to-day support is provided by registered dietitians and nutritionists (HCPC or AfN registered), available five days a week via in-app messaging. You’re also placed in a small peer support group.

The programme uses the COM-B behaviour change model and is structured across four phases. Daily educational content is delivered through the app, covering nutrition, medication management, physical activity, sleep, and the psychological aspects of eating, including resources specifically for emotional eating and stress management.¹

Health coaches receive specific training in GLP-1 side effect management, so guidance is tailored to people taking Mounjaro or Wegovy rather than general weight-loss advice.

ZAVA

ZAVA’s support model centres on medical oversight rather than coaching. Your prescription is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor, and you receive regular check-ins to monitor weight and progress. You can message a doctor for free through your patient account at any time.³

With your first order, ZAVA sends a support pack from their in-house nutritionist that includes trackers, meal plans, and guidance on side effects and lifestyle changes. Their website also provides written guides on topics like diet, side effects, and switching medications.

The key difference is that ZAVA’s support is primarily reactive — you reach out when you need help — while Second Nature’s is proactive, with a dietitian actively checking in and guiding you through a structured programme.

Medication options

ZAVA offers a wider range of weight-loss medications. In addition to Mounjaro and Wegovy, they prescribe Nevolat (a generic version of liraglutide, taken as a daily injection), Orlistat (a fat-absorption blocker taken as a tablet), and Mysimba (an appetite suppressant tablet). This gives more options if GLP-1 injections aren’t suitable for you or you prefer tablets.³

Both providers offer the newer Wegovy 7.2 mg dose, approved by the MHRA in January 2026.⁴

ZAVA also provides clear guidance on switching between Mounjaro and Wegovy, with a 7-day switching protocol if you want to change medication.³

Pricing

Pricing changes frequently, so check each provider’s website for the most current figures. As a general guide at the time of writing:

ZAVA

ZAVA charges per medication pen. Their pricing includes the consultation, prescription, medication, and delivery:

• Wegovy: from £99 (0.25mg starting dose), rising with dose escalation
• Mounjaro: from approximately £150-250 per month depending on dose (prices increased September 2025)
• Nevolat: available (check website for current pricing)
• Orlistat: available (check website for current pricing)

ZAVA publishes 6-month cost breakdowns on its website: approximately £1,044 for Mounjaro and £1,224 for Wegovy, assuming the standard dose-escalation schedule to the maximum maintenance dose.³

Second Nature

Second Nature charges an all-inclusive monthly fee covering medication, delivery, dietitian coaching, app access, and peer support:

• Wegovy programme: £149-£249 per month depending on dose
• Mounjaro programme: pricing available on the Second Nature website
• Non-medication programme: from £33/month (12-month subscription)

Second Nature’s prices are higher than ZAVA’s medication-only costs because the fee includes the full programme: dietitian coaching, peer support groups, app access, and educational content. If you’re comparing value, consider what you’re getting alongside the medication, not just the cost of the medication.

Aftercare and weight maintenance

Research shows that around two-thirds of people regain weight within a year of stopping semaglutide without ongoing support.⁵ Both providers approach this differently.

Second Nature

Transition support is built into the programme. The later phases focus on consolidating habits and preparing for life after medication. Your dietitian continues to support you through the process of reducing or stopping medication.

ZAVA

ZAVA references a maintenance service on their website for patients who have completed treatment. Their guidance on post-medication support is less detailed publicly than their prescribing information, so it’s worth asking them directly about what this includes if aftercare is important to you.

Who should choose each option

ZAVA may suit you if:

• You want fast, affordable access to weight-loss medication
• You’re comfortable managing your own diet and lifestyle changes
• You want a wider choice of medications (including tablets like Orlistat and Mysimba)
• You prefer a no-fuss prescription service without a structured programme
• You’ve had success with medication-only approaches before

Second Nature may suit you if:

• You want dietitian-led coaching alongside your medication
• You’ve struggled to maintain weight loss in the past and want structured habit-change support
• Published, peer-reviewed clinical outcomes are important to you
• You value peer support from others at a similar stage
• You want a programme that specifically prepares you for life after medication

Frequently asked questions

Is ZAVA or Second Nature more effective for weight loss?

Second Nature has published peer-reviewed research showing 19.1% average weight loss at 12 months with semaglutide and behavioural support.¹

ZAVA cites internal data showing that patients lose an average of 15kg during treatment, but this hasn’t been independently published.³

Both providers prescribe the same medications, so the difference in results is likely to come from the support alongside medication.

Is ZAVA cheaper than Second Nature?

For medication alone, ZAVA is generally cheaper. Their Wegovy starts from £99 for the lowest dose, while Second Nature’s all-inclusive Wegovy programme starts from £149 per month.

The difference is that Second Nature’s price includes dietitian coaching, peer support, and a structured behaviour change programme. If you want medication with medical oversight but without a full programme, ZAVA is cheaper.

If you want a full programme, Second Nature’s bundled pricing may be more cost-effective than buying medication and coaching separately.

Does ZAVA offer any support alongside medication?

Yes. ZAVA provides a free nutritionist-written support pack with your first order (including trackers and meal plans), regular doctor check-ins, free doctor messaging through your patient account, and written guides on side effects and lifestyle changes.³

What they don’t offer is 1-to-1 dietitian coaching, peer support groups, or a structured behaviour change programme.

Can I get Wegovy 7.2 mg from both providers?

Yes. Both Second Nature and ZAVA offer the 7.2 mg dose, approved by the MHRA in January 2026.⁴ This dose is for patients who have been stable on 2.4 mg for at least four weeks and need further weight loss.

How quickly can I start treatment with each provider?

ZAVA is typically faster. Their online consultation can be completed in minutes, and medication is often dispatched within 24-48 hours.³

Second Nature also offers online assessment and can dispatch medication within days, but the full programme onboarding (dietitian assignment, peer group placement) takes a little longer.

What happens when I want to stop taking medication?

Second Nature builds transition support into its programme, with your dietitian guiding you through reducing or stopping medication.

ZAVA references a maintenance service for patients completing treatment, though the details are less publicly documented. Research shows that structured follow-up after stopping GLP-1 medication significantly reduces weight regain.⁵

Can I switch between Mounjaro and Wegovy with ZAVA?

Yes. ZAVA provides clear guidance on switching between the two medications, with a 7-day protocol. If your doctor approves the switch, you stop your current medication and start the new one 7 days later at an appropriate dose. This has become more common since Mounjaro’s September 2025 price increase.³

Does Second Nature offer a programme without medication?

Yes. Second Nature offers a non-medication weight management programme from £33 per month on a 12-month subscription. This includes the same dietitian coaching, peer support, and behaviour change programme without a prescription. Some people start here and transition to the medication programme later if needed.

Which provider has better reviews?

Both are rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot. ZAVA has a 4.3/5 rating from over 11,000 reviews. Second Nature has a 4.5/5 rating from over 7,800 reviews. ZAVA’s larger review volume reflects its broader range of healthcare services beyond weight loss.

Are both services safe and regulated?

Yes. ZAVA’s prescriptions are reviewed by GMC-registered doctors, and their clinical team includes SCOPE-certified obesity specialists.³

Second Nature works with a GPhC-registered pharmacy partner for prescribing and dispensing. Both services require a medical assessment before prescribing and monitoring patients throughout treatment.

Take home message

ZAVA and Second Nature serve different needs. ZAVA is a well-established prescription service offering fast, affordable access to a wide range of weight-loss medications with medical oversight from GMC-registered doctors.

Second Nature is a specialist programme provider that combines medication with dietitian-led coaching, peer support, and a structured behaviour change programme.

The gap between 19.1% and 13.7% suggests that behavioural support alongside medication may improve results, though these figures come from different study designs and populations, so a direct causal comparison isn’t possible.¹

If you’re confident managing your own lifestyle changes and want straightforward medication access, ZAVA is a reputable option. If you want structured support to build habits that last beyond medication, Second Nature’s programme is designed for that.

References

1. Richards, R., et al. (2025). A Remotely Delivered, Semaglutide-Supported Weight Management Program: 12-Month Outcomes. JMIR Formative Research, 9(1), e72577.
2. Ross, J.A.D., et al. (2022). Uptake and impact of the English National Health Service digital diabetes prevention programme. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, 10(3), e002736.
3. ZAVA UK. Weight Loss Treatment Service.
4. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. (2026). Medicines regulator approves up to 7.2mg dose of semaglutide (Wegovy) for patients with obesity only.
5. Wilding, J.P.H., et al. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 24(8), 1553-1564.