Managing weight
Weight management pertains to the desire to maintain an optimal body weight by means of appropriate dietary practices, consistent engagement in physical exercise, and constructive alterations to one’s lifestyle.
This encompasses the adoption of enduring habits that foster balance between;
- the acquisition of energy (caloric intake)
- energy depletion (caloric expenditure)
Maintaining your weight is a key factor in personal wellbeing, in addition to lowering the risk of different diseases, conditions and cancers associated with being overweight and weight gain.
Throughout the UK, many people suffer from weight gain.
Statistically, 1 in 4 adults across the UK are considered to be clinically obese.
People who are overweight and carrying a lot of body fat are described as being clinically obese.
Weight Management Services
The following services are available to help you maintain a good body weight to keep you healthy and feeling better.
NHS Digital Weight Management Programme
This cutting-edge digital 12 week programme caters to the needs of adult individuals grappling with the challenges of obesity, compounded with a diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension, or both.
It’s free and easily available via a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
How to start
To begin, you need to contact your local GP practice who can refer you to the programme.
Who can be referred to the digital programme?
- You must be 18 or over.
- You must have a BMI greater than 30. The BMI threshold will be lowered to 27.5 for people from black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds, as we know people from these ethnic backgrounds are at an increased risk of conditions such as Type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI.
- You must have diabetes, high blood pressure, or both.
- You must have a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access.
Duration
This programme is a comprehensive 12 week online intervention that utilises evidence-based behavioural strategies and lifestyle modifications to achieve transformative results.
12 week Referral Hub triages service user to 1 of 3 intervention levels:
- 1 – digital content only
- 2 – digital + minimum 50 mins human coaching
- 3 – digital + 100 mins human coaching
Patient outcomes reported as Discharge Summary sent directly from NHS Referral Hub to GP.
Essex Wellbeing Service
The innovative My Weight Matters programme available through Essex Wellbeing Services aims to:
- help you to manage your weight
- improve your health
- enhance your quality of life
Volunteers support this organization in offering supportive, inclusive activities to socially isolated people who would otherwise be disconnected from the community.
Click here to learn more about the Essex Wellbeing Service and their programme My Weight Matters.
Healthier You
Healthier You is a NHS diabetes prevention programme for people that meet the following criteria:
- Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes
- Aged 80+ years
- Pregnant
Click here to learn more about the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.
Freshwell Low Carb Project
This project encourages members of the community to live a Real Food Low Carb lifestyle.
Furthermore, this is so they can support people to be as healthy as possible.
Click here to learn more about the Freshwell Low Carb Project.
Read more about weight management on our blog post via this link.