Health professionals and researchers attending the Association for the Study of Obesity's (ASO) National Conference in September participated in an interactive symposium hosted by Slimming World on how to sensitively raise the issue of weight with patients and increase openness to change.

As part of its campaign to promote the importance of compassion for long-term behaviour change and weight management, Slimming World's symposium looked at how an understanding approach when discussing weight can build trust, while seeming judgemental can generate 'resistance to change'.

Jennifer Percival, one of the UK's leading health education trainers who has recently joined Slimming World's specialist advisor panel, led the workshop and demonstrated effective techniques for asking supportive and open questions to build trust.

A trio of posters demonstrating the effectiveness of Slimming World's weight management support for people with type 2 diabetes, post natal women and people from different socio-economic groups were also presented at the ASO's National Conference.

The study of Slimming World members with type 2 diabetes demonstrated the benefit of weight loss on blood glucose control, with many participants reporting a reduction in medication.

The research into motivations and benefits of attending Slimming World post-natally found that most new mothers join a group to feel better about themselves rather than because of media pressure. Participants reported improvements in their self-esteem and feeling better about their body shape as a result of their weight loss with Slimming World.

A pilot analysis of more than 41,000 Slimming World members revealed that attendance levels and weight outcomes were similar across all socio-economic groups.

While starting University is typically associated with significant weight gain, new data presented at the Public Health England Annual Conference in September revealed that accessing Slimming World's support during this time can help students to lose weight.

The 'Weight Management in University Students' poster revealed that students with an overweight or obese BMI lose around 11lbs in their first 12 weeks membership of Slimming World.

The Slimming World research team has expanded as it takes on a greater number of research projects, including exciting new collaborations with numerous Universities.

The new studies will improve public health by furthering understanding of effective long-term weight management support. They will also add greater depth to Slimming World's growing evidence base as an effective weight management solution.

You can find out more about the individual research team members in the meet the team section of our health website.

Jennifer Percival, one of the UK's leading health education trainers, has joined Slimming World's specialist advisor panel to advise on the development of the company's public health programme.

Slimming World's specialist advisor panel brings together leaders in a range of obesity and behaviour change disciplines including nutrition, physical activity, psychology and child and adult health.

Jennifer is a qualified nurse, midwife, health visitor, person-centred counsellor and health education trainer. She has lectured in over 30 countries and has provided expert advice to the Department of Health, the Open University, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and many hospital and community trusts. In 2013 she wrote and delivered the RCN national course, 'Making every contact count - Having the difficult conversation' which was adapted in 2014 to become a RCN online teaching resource.

The newly published 'Slimming World research portfolio' is a collection of all published research involving Slimming World, including the programme's evidence base and independent analyses of its effectiveness.

In addition to providing evidence of Slimming World's efficacy, the resource includes research into a whole range of issues including behaviour change, satiety, weight management in pregnancy, lifestyle changes in young people, supporting people with type 2 diabetes, quality of life as a result of weight loss, self-esteem and weight loss maintenance.

The resource is available to health professionals, commissioners and policymakers and can be downloaded here.