BDNF Genetic Testing and PROMIS® now
added to Newtopia's habit change experience, providing additional
opportunities for cost savings
TORONTO, July 20, 2021 /CNW/ - Newtopia Inc.
("Newtopia" or the "Company") (TSXV: NEWU), a
tech-enabled habit change provider focused on disease prevention,
today announced the expansion of its mental health offering to
health insurers. Testing for the BDNF gene, which gauges resilience
to stress, and usage of the PROMIS® questionnaire, which
measures for mental and emotional health, are now part of the
Company's unique habit change experience.
![Newtopia logo (CNW Group/Newtopia Inc.) Newtopia logo (CNW Group/Newtopia Inc.)](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1578016/Newtopia_Inc__Newtopia_Delivers_Expanded_Mental_Health_Offerings.jpg)
Newtopia focuses on whole person health, the belief that
physical and mental health must be evaluated together to prevent,
reverse and slow the progression of chronic disease. By working
with each individual holistically, the Newtopia habit change
platform helps to increase participant engagement and stickiness,
while providing health insurer clients additional opportunities for
cost savings. These new mental health offerings will be part of the
existing Newtopia experiences, which include Weight Management,
Diabetes Prevention, MetS/Disease Prevention, Hypertension and
Heart Health and Healthy Living with Diabetes. The Company also
recently added a Habit Change and Resiliency experience, designed
for individuals who do not have physical health risks but who do
require improvements to their habits and mental health to achieve
enhanced whole health.
Newtopia's two new mental health offerings were developed in the
Newtopia Innovation Lab. The Lab is a center of innovation across
technology, program evolution, strategic partnerships and more.
Newtopia's innovation team is focused on identifying and
implementing the most state-of-the-art physical and mental health
offerings proven to deliver sustainable habit change through
evidence-based results.
"Newtopia has always been dedicated to offering whole person
care – improving physical and mental health – through habit change
with a focus on nutrition, exercise and well-being, or the N-E-W
that makes up Newtopia," said Jeff
Ruby, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Newtopia. "It
is clear that on their own, solutions for physical health or mental
health improvement will never create sustainable change and in turn
generate significant cost savings for health insurers and other
risk bearing entities. The physical and mental must be treated
simultaneously. Now, with these two new mental health offerings
included in our habit change platform, we anticipate being able to
provide additional cost savings and an improved ROI for our health
insurer clients, while successfully driving sustained habit change
throughout our platform."
More about the BDNF Gene
Newtopia's first new mental health offering is the addition of a
BDNF gene assessment as part of the genetic engagement offered to
participants. A mutation of this gene may lead to an increased risk
of obesity, an increased vulnerability to stress and difficulty
managing emotions. Individuals who have a mutation may find
challenging situations more difficult to manage, feel overwhelmed
with daily tasks, perceive something to be more stressful than it
is, and when stressed, be more likely to experience bouts of low
mood.
By understanding each participant's genomic data, Newtopia's
Inspirators (health coaches) can provide actionable recommendations
for behavior modification specific to that participant's unique
lifestyle. Examples of recommendations may include building
resilience with daily habits to decrease the number of events
perceived as stressful, as well as incorporating practices that
boost participants' moods, such as exercise, yoga, journaling,
reading, cooking and increased social interactions.
More about PROMIS®
Newtopia's second new mental health offering is the inclusion of
PROMIS® (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement
Information System), which was established in 2004 by the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United
States. PROMIS® enables Inspirators to gauge a
baseline of participants' mental health as it relates to mood,
anxiety, stress, sleep and energy through an easy-to-use
questionnaire. Data gathered from this questionnaire will provide
insights into where an intervention may be needed, which can then
be leveraged to develop a framework for establishing new behavioral
health habits. Changes in participant scores will be measured every
four months to assess improvement over time and to identify areas
for further development. Aggregate level data will be shared
in client reporting and individual scores will be shared with
participants.
Mr. Ruby concluded, "Throughout the pandemic, we were able to
deliver meaningful engagement and outcomes for our health insurer
clients by considering the whole person. Our recent participant
studies have proven that the Newtopia habit change platform can
consistently deliver clinically significant improvements in
physical health, even during a global pandemic. We now look forward
to adding to our toolkit with these new mental health offerings,
enhancing the value and in turn the cost savings we offer our
clients, while at the same time encouraging a larger base of
potential individuals to sign up for our habit change
platform."
About Newtopia
Newtopia is a tech-enabled habit change provider focused on
disease prevention and reducing the cost of care for health
insurers. As a provider of whole person care, we prevent, reverse
and slow the progression of chronic disease while enriching mental
health, resilience and overall human performance. Newtopia's
programs leverage genetic, social and behavioral insights to create
individualized prevention programs with a focus on type 2 diabetes,
heart disease, stroke and weight. With a person-centered approach
that combines virtual care, digital tools, connected devices and
actionable data science, Newtopia delivers sustainable clinical and
financial outcomes. Newtopia serves some of the largest nationwide
employers and health plans and is currently listed on the Toronto
Stock Exchange (TSXV: NEWU). To learn more,
visit newtopia.com, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Forward Looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking information and
forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation, and forward looking statements,
within the meaning of applicable United
States securities legislation (collectively,
"forward-looking statements"), which reflects management's
expectations regarding Newtopia's future growth, results from
operations (including, without limitation, future production and
capital expenditures), performance (both operational and financial)
and business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words
such as "predicts", "projects", "targets", "plans", "expects",
"does not expect", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts",
"anticipate" or "does not anticipate", "believe", "intend" and
similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or
results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur
or be achieved, or the negative or grammatical variation thereof or
other variations thereof, or comparable terminology have been used
to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than
statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information.
Such statements reflect Newtopia's current views and intentions
with respect to future events, based on information available to
Newtopia, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and
assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in
providing forward-looking information. While forward-looking
statements are based on data, assumptions and analyses that
Newtopia believes are reasonable under the circumstances, whether
actual results, performance or developments will meet Newtopia's
expectations and predictions depends on a number of risks and
uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance and
financial condition of Newtopia to differ materially from its
expectations. These forward-looking statements include, among other
things, the estimated cost savings to plan payers associated with
the use of Newtopia's platform by plan members, the potential cost
of care reduction for other Medicare risk-bearing entities, the
continued engagement with Newtopia's platform by plan members,
clients continuing to offer Newtopia's platform pursuant to
agreements entered into, statements relating to Newtopia's business
plans and outlook. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee
and are based on a number of estimates and assumptions management
believes to be relevant and reasonable, whether actual results,
performance or developments will meet Newtopia's expectations and
predictions depends on a number of risks and uncertainties that
could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition
of Newtopia to differ materially from its expectations. Certain of
the "risk factors" that could cause actual results to differ
materially from Newtopia's forward-looking statements in this press
release include, without limitation: the termination of contracts
by clients, risks related to COVID-19 including various
recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities
to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border
closures, non-essential business closures, quarantines,
self-isolations, shelters-in-place and social distancing,
disruptions to markets, economic activity, financing, supply
chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general
economic conditions including a possible national or global
recession; and other general economic, market and business
conditions and factors, including the risk factors discussed or
referred to in Newtopia's disclosure documents, filed with the
securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of
Canada and available at
www.sedar.com including Newtopia's final long form prospectus dated
March 30, 2020.
Should any factor affect Newtopia's in an unexpected manner, or
should assumptions underlying the forward- looking information
prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially
from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking
information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this
cautionary statement. Moreover, Newtopia does not assume
responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such
forward-looking information. The forward-looking information
included in this press release is made as of the date of this press
release, and Newtopia undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required
by applicable law.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this release.
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SOURCE Newtopia Inc.