Welcoming the new NICE guidance for working with weight management programmes

Slimming World welcomes the publication of the NICE guidance for lifestyle weight management services and the recognition that weight loss support programmes must avoid stigmatising those who are overweight.

Carolyn Pallister, Public Health Manager at Slimming World, said: “We’re delighted that the new NICE guidance recognises that being overweight or obese can have a serious effect on a person’s mental health as the result of stigma, bullying and discrimination.

“This is something that we’ve been lobbying for, and advocating, for many years. Slimming World was started 45 years ago from a conviction that the burden carried by overweight people is two-fold. There is the burden of excess weight itself and there is an often far heavier burden: that of shame, self-criticism and poor self-esteem.

“For many overweight people successful long-term weight loss can only be achieved by tackling deep-seated emotional issues and support is most effective when it is delivered with genuine warmth, compassion, empathy, respect and understanding. With decades of experience in supporting people to lose and manage their weight by addressing these underlying psychological and emotional issues as well as by adopting new healthy eating and activity habits Slimming World has led the way in developing sophisticated support for individuals in a powerfully motivating group setting.”

Recent research published in the British Journal of General Practice shows that after 12 months, people referred by the NHS to Slimming World achieved significantly greater weight loss than attendees of other weight loss programmes.

The non-inferiority analysis paper by the University of Birmingham (Madigan et al. 2014. BJGP. 64 (620 e128-e136) compared group-based weight loss programmes including Slimming World, Weight Watchers, Rosemary Conley and an NHS group programme to determine which programmes are effective at 3 months and 12 months. The paper concluded that in the short term all commercial weight loss programmes appeared equal while the NHS programme resulted in lower weight loss outcomes. However, in the longer term, after 12 months, Slimming World led to significantly greater weight loss.

Carolyn added: “Slimming World is totally committed to the long term success of our members. The findings of the Madigan study reinforce our own evidence from member data and audited published referral data: that our weight loss outcomes are better in the longer term because our programme emphasises the importance of long term behaviour change with compassionate support and understanding.

“The NICE guidance gives commissioners a clear steer to ensure that the services they signpost overweight and obese people to include non-judgemental support, achievable goals and evidence based long-term lifestyle behaviour change. We believe that all weight loss support should offer compassionate care and understanding as a standard.”