UKCO 2016: Slimming World Symposium on practical solutions to obesity

Slimming World Symposium, Monday 19th September, 3:45 – 5:15pm, Main Auditorium
 
Research and Reach: Practical Solutions in an Overweight World

Outline

This symposium will discuss the role of partnership working in creating solutions which are based on understanding the needs of people who are overweight. The symposium will explore the value of multi-disciplinary, multi-agency, evidence-based and outcome driven approaches in the development and delivery of effective and scalable weight management approaches.

Main aim

To understand how academics, health professionals and industry partners can work together successfully, to develop and deliver effective, wide-reaching behaviour change programmes for the individual.

Session Overview

Scaling up an individualised approach: considering physiological and behavioural needs for weight loss alongside emotional burdens of weight (Amanda Avery): The importance of developing a good understanding of the individual to develop effective and sustainable weight management solutions, considering physiological and behavioural needs for weight loss alongside emotional burdens of weight. Using person-centred research to continually enhance practical support for weight control.

Partnership working to facilitate physical activity among people who are overweight or obese (Professor Ken Fox): Examples of how academic research can assist in the development of models and strategies for delivery in commercial and public settings.

Weight management in a digital world: personalising digital as a scalable solution (Dr Paul Sacher): The development of digitally delivered behaviour change interventions to provide scalable weight management solutions in today’s world. A practical overview of how the needs of the individual, research and technology are being used in developing innovative, real world digital weight management interventions.

Speakers

Amanda Avery, RD, Consultant Dietitian in Weight Management and Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Nottingham. Amanda is a registered Dietitian with over 20 years of experience working as a community Dietitian in the NHS before moving into academia. For the past 7 years Amanda has worked at the University of Nottingham as part of the core team delivering the Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics programme. Amanda has also worked as a consultant dietitian for Slimming World for the past 16 years.

Professor Ken Fox, Emeritus Professor of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Bristol. Ken is Emeritus Professor of Exercise and Health Sciences at the University of Bristol. His career has focussed on the promotion of physical activity and public health with particular interest in the social psychology of behaviour change and the effect of physical activity on mental well-being and weight management

Paul Sacher PhD, RD, Chief Research and Development Officer, Slimming World. Dr Paul Sacher is Chief Research and Development Officer for Slimming World and Research Director for MEND internationally. Over the last 21 years he has been developing, evaluating and disseminating evidence-based lifestyle weight management and digital health interventions globally. He is also Honorary Senior Research Associate at University College London and previously worked in the NHS for 11 years.