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The weather is warming up at last and we're delighted to say that 2015 is really heating up in the Slimming World Nutrition and Research team too. We've got absolutely loads to tell you about, so let's get straight to it…
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Independent research shows Slimming World on Referral is cost-effective
An independent economic evaluation shows that primary care referral to Slimming World provides value for money against the standards set by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
The study by the University of Leeds developed a model to estimate the lifetime costs and benefits of Slimming World on Referral compared with usual care by considering health consequences of obesity, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Using a Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) measure to consider the impact of the intervention on both quality and length of life, Slimming World on Referral dominated usual care, being both cheaper and more effective at 12 months and over a lifetime horizon.
The report concluded: “These results compare favourably with economic evaluations of other obesity interventions and add to a growing evidence base on the cost-effectiveness of commercial weight loss providers and practices.”
Read more →
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Study shows positive impact of supporting pregnant mums
Following recent news that children born to overweight mothers are at greater risk of health problems in later life, a feasibility study looking at the impact of providing weekly healthy lifestyle support to pregnant women with a high BMI has produced promising results.
With obesity and excess weight gain in pregnancy linked to complications during pregnancy and birth, exploratory research by Slimming World and Consultant Midwives in Cardiff looked at a group weight management intervention that assisted in the development of healthy eating and lifestyle habits.
Published in the British Journal of Midwifery, the healthy eating and lifestyle in pregnancy (HELP) feasibility study saw promising results, with women being positive about group attendance, healthy birth weights being observed (mean 3.59kg) and 89% of new mums initiating breastfeeding, with 70% still breastfeeding 28 days after giving birth.
One participant commented on the support: "It was never about weight loss it was all about how you felt and your weight journey."
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New food range launched with Iceland
Slimming World has launched a new range of frozen ready meals in association with Iceland, based on healthy whole food ingredients.
While encouraging and supporting members to cook from scratch remains Slimming World's key focus, the organisation is acting in response to demand from members who asked for a small range of ready meals to be available for occasions when lack of time can lead to them choosing less healthy options.
Dr Jacquie Lavin, Slimming World Head of Nutrition and Research, says: “Cooking healthy, filling meals from scratch is, and always will be, at the heart of our programme. However, members have told us it's when time is short that they're most likely to go off track, grabbing a ready meal that leaves them unsatisfied or having a high-calorie takeaway. By introducing this food range, which is based on healthy whole foods and designed to be filling and satisfying, we're confident that we're helping members to succeed in their long term weight management. Every meal has the recipe printed on the packaging too, so consumers who may be nervous about trying new foods or testing their cooking skills are encouraged to try to recreate the meals at home when they have time.“
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Awareness campaign raises the issue of weight discrimination
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The #ShowHeart awareness campaign was launched by Slimming World after research by the organisation revealed that people who struggle with weight face frequent humiliations which can cause feelings of depression that lead to comfort eating and weight gain.
Professor James Stubbs, Research Specialist at Slimming World and Chair of Behaviour Change and Weight Management at the University of Derby, says: ”As a society we need to think more about how we treat people who struggle with weight and we need to be more aware of how discrimination can impact on people's feelings and lifestyle behaviours. Reducing discrimination makes it more likely that people will seek help to lose weight and feel able to take steps to make changes to their lifestyle.”
An evaluation survey of the general public found that 61% of people who heard about the research were making a conscious effort to treat people who struggle with weight more kindly.
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‘Free2Go’ materials for young members aged 11-15
Slimming World's ‘Free2Go’ programme is designed to support young people aged 11-15 to develop new healthy habits to help manage their weight with the support of their family and health professional.
Rather than weight loss targets, Consultants help young members to set behaviour change goals. Young members are steered towards healthy food swaps, eating plenty of healthy low energy dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meats, starchy carbohydrates and low fat dairy products, cutting down on more energy dense processed foods, takeaways, sugar and fatty snacks and getting more active.
The newly redesigned booklet, ‘Free2Go – a guide for you and your GP’, provides information about Slimming World's support of young members for GPs and nurses, enabling them to support the young members' attendance at group and provide any recommendations regarding their weight management goals. Age-adjusted BMI centile charts from the Child Growth Foundation are included in the booklet, allowing the health carer, young member and Slimming World Consultant to regularly monitor progress.
Dr Jacquie Lavin, Head of Nutrition and Research, says: “We want to work with health professionals to support young people to develop healthier lifestyle habits that will lead to healthier BMI centiles and greater self-confidence.”
Read more →
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Slimming World Professor talks about satiety and weight management at ASO National Conference
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Professor James Stubbs, Slimming World Research Specialist and Chair of Behaviour Change and Weight Management at the University of Derby, spoke at the Association for the Study of Obesity's (ASO) National Conference ‘Satiety - from origins to applications‘.
In a segment looking at the benefits of satiety for the consumer, Professor Stubbs discussed latest thinking on the role of satiety in weight management and how we can continue to develop public understanding of this important area.
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RCM announces winner of Slimming World Award for Public Health
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The Royal College of Midwives has announced the winner of the ‘Slimming World Award for Public Health’, which is designed to recognise initiatives that have had a genuine impact on the health of their communities.
The 2015 award went to Karen George and Michele Ahluwalia from Darent Valley Hospital and Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust for their Pregnancy Plus initiative. The 10-week community programme was designed to support pregnant women with an obese BMI to develop healthier habits such as menu planning and getting more active.
The winners were announced at a ceremony in London on Tuesday 3rd of March.
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 Pictured from left to right are
Dr Jacquie Lavin from Slimming World, award winners Michele Ahluwalia and Karen George and, from the Royal College of Midwives, Professor Lesley Page CBE and Kate Silverton.
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Raising the issue of weight – workshops for nurses
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In 2015 Slimming World will be hosting a series of Nursing in Practice workshops to give guidance to nurses on how they can sensitively raise the issue of weight with patients.
Led by Jennifer Percival, one of the UK's leading health education trainers and a member of Slimming World's Special Advisor Panel, the sessions will demonstrate the need to understand a patient's emotional and psychological barriers to changing their behaviour when offering support. Jennifer will discuss how seeming judgemental can generate ‘resistance to change’ while an understanding approach can build trust.
The workshops form part of Slimming World's work to promote the importance of compassion for long-term behaviour change and weight management.
Book a place →
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Click here to find out more about Slimming World's approach to healthy eating, facilitating behaviour change through deep understanding and compassion and supporting an active lifestyle.
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