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Losing 3% bodyweight can 'have significant effects' for obese
Obese people are being encouraged to lose 3% of their bodyweight as it can have significant effects, said new NHS guidance. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is urging a "respectful and non-judgemental" approach to obesity.
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Formerly obese woman describes 17 stone weight loss
A woman who lost 17 stone with a slimming club paid for by the NHS has told Good Morning Britain how the plan helped get her life back on track.
Kim Freshwater, 45, had tried "traditional methods" like slimming shakes to no avail before approaching her GP who referred her to Slimming World.
"It is a healthy eating plan for life. It is not a diet. Nothing is forbidden, because that for me, if someone told me something is forbidden, I would obsess about that."
Losing weight 'takes resolve and encouragement'
Losing weight "takes resolve" and "encouragement" and the NHS needs to take into account how much of a struggle it can be to diet down to a healthy BMI.
Professor Mike Kelly, director of the centre for public health at Nice, explained:
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NHS: Lose 3% of bodyweight for 'significant effects'
The NHS is recommending obese or overweight people try to lose 3% of their bodyweight if they want to see significant beneficial effects, according to new guidelines.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) also recommended taking a "respectful and non-judgemental" approach to tackling obesity and warned against stigmatisation.
There was "no magic bullet" to the "complex" problem of obesity, Nice said, and they recognised the struggles many people faced in trying to keep their weight down.
It said evidence showed that an effective weight loss programme where participants receive support from "buddies" and advice on lifestyle and behavioural changes can lead to an average 3% weight loss, which if kept off for the long term, will have beneficial health effects.