Eight in 10 Americans don't understand metabolic health — even though nearly all of them (over 90%) are already dealing with its consequences.1 From low energy and poor sleep to weight gain, metabolic dysfunction is quietly affecting millions of people who don't yet have a name for what they're experiencing.2
Health pioneer and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen (known as "Dr. A") has spent decades addressing this growing crisis. That commitment is the foundation of Health by Design, the philosophy created by Dr. A, and OPTAVIA®, a science-backed, coach-guided metabolic health system, co-founded by Dr. A. He recently traveled to Galicia, Spain — a region so remarkable for its health outcomes that experts believe it could become the country's first-ever Blue Zone, where residents live measurably longer, healthier lives — to understand and experience first-hand what drives metabolic health and longevity.
What Dr. A discovered reinforced everything he has long believed: Optimal metabolic health isn't about discipline alone. It's about knowledge, design, and support.
Metabolic health is the body's ability to efficiently convert food into energy, regulate critical functions, and maintain internal balance. When the system is disrupted — like it is for more than 9 in 10 American adults1 — low energy, poor sleep, weight challenges, and more serious health issues can follow — affecting how you function, feel, and live.
And with today's modern lifestyle, we're living in a pattern our metabolism was never meant to endure. From unhealthy food, chronic stress, and poor sleep to sedentary routines.
The good news? When people learn what metabolic health actually means, 74% feel motivated to improve it, and 85% believe poor metabolic health can be reversed.2
Here are the top three ways Dr. A says you can help get your metabolic health on track.
1. Design your environment for health
Your environment either works for your health or against it.
Metabolic dysfunction often develops quietly, through accumulated small unhealthy habits: the fast-food option that's easier than cooking, the sedentary workday, the social isolation that spikes stress hormones and disrupts sleep.
One of the most powerful lessons Dr. A learned from studying the world's healthiest populations is that they don't rely on willpower alone. Their environments are designed for well-being.
In Galicia, movement is woven into the rhythm of daily life as a natural part of daily routines. Community is not something people have to seek out — it surrounds them.
"The most important question you can ask yourself is: What is my environment designed to produce?" said Dr. A. "Start there. You don't need a dramatic overhaul — small, intentional changes in your surroundings, your schedule and your daily rhythms can create meaningful momentum toward better metabolic health."
2. Build your support system
After years in medicine and wellness, Dr. A points to one factor above all others as the predictor of lasting health: support.
In Galicia, strong social bonds and a culture of genuine human connection reduce stress, build resilience and create the accountability that turns intentions into long-lasting habits.
Research consistently shows that people are far more likely to achieve health goals when they have an accountability partner and a structured support system.3 That's why coaches are at the heart of OPTAVIA's lifestyle system — not as a nice-to-have feature, but as a clinically meaningful driver of results.
"People don't just need more information — they need someone to help them apply it in real life," said Dr. A. "A caring, experienced coach is the force multiplier. Metabolic dysfunction didn't develop overnight, and it won't reverse overnight. But with the right support, you can be more successful. We've seen more than three million lives impacted with this approach."
In a clinical study, clients who worked with an OPTAVIA coach lost 10 times more weight and 17 times more fat than those who tried to go it alone.4
3. Know the difference between lifespan and healthspan
During his travels in Spain, Dr. A sat down with 102-year-old Marina Prieto.
More striking than her age was her vitality — engaged, connected and looking forward to each new day. She was a true example of a distinction Dr. A believes every person needs to understand: Lifespan is how long you live. Healthspan is how well you live.
Metabolic health is the engine that drives both.
"People often attribute their fatigue, difficulty losing weight or declining energy to simply getting older," said Dr. A. "But these are frequently signs of metabolic imbalance. The choices you make today are compounding, right now, in one direction or the other. The goal isn't just more years. It's putting more livelihood into those years."
The bottom line
OPTAVIA's science-backed, coach-guided metabolic health system is designed to address the root causes of metabolic dysfunction by providing a targeted reset of the body's metabolism — beginning with quality weight loss that reduces bad visceral fat while protecting healthy muscle — and building the habits that sustain it long term.
To learn more about how you can achieve your health goals, visit optavia.com.
References
- O'Hearn M et al. Trends and Disparities in Cardiometabolic Health Among U.S. Adults, 1999-2018. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;80(2):138-151. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2022.04.046
- OPTAVIA commissioned an online survey with KRC Research among n=1,004 U.S. adults ages 18-75. The survey was fielded between September 23rd and September 29th, 2025.
- Silveri OC, Gallardo NA, Chandy RJ, Edwards-Hampton SA, Feldman S. Accountability Frameworks in Medical Weight Loss Programs: A Comprehensive Literature Review. Cureus. 2024 Nov 11;16(11):e73474. doi: 10.7759/cureus.73474. PMID: 39669854; PMCID: PMC11634553.
- Those on the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan® with support of an OPTAVIA coach successfully lost 10x more weight and 17x more fat than those who tried to lose weight on their own. Arterburn LM, et al. Randomized controlled trial assessing two commercial weight loss programs in adults with overweight or obesity. Obes Sci Pract. 2018;5(1):3-14. doi: 10.1002/osp4.312.
