New PHE guidance on weight management services welcomed

Slimming World welcomes the publication of new guidance from Public Health England to help commissioners and health professionals support patients who are overweight by signposting them to effective evidence-based tier 2 weight management services.

The guidance ‘Adult weight management: guidance for commissioners and providers’ says that services should be multi-component and include diet, physical activity and behaviour change elements and be based on solid evidence. Published research and audited data shows that Slimming World’s success is founded on a multi-component approach that includes an eating plan based on the science of energy density and satiety, a phased physical activity programme, and group support built around motivational interviewing, transactional analysis, an understanding of the influence of ego states on behaviour and compassionate mind theory. Together, these elements support long-term behaviour change and lead to an average weight loss of 5.5% among patients who attend at least 10 out of 12 sessions after being referred by a health professional[1].

A number of behaviour change techniques are recommended in the new Public Health England guidance to help people develop new lifestyle behaviours to lose weight and keep it off for the long-term. These techniques, which include setting eating and activity goals, accessing ongoing social support, developing strategies to overcome challenges and learning to cope with relapse, are all key factors in the Slimming World programme.

We hope that the guidance will enable more people who struggle with weight to access the support they need for long-term weight loss and behaviour change.

A short video about the guidance can be seen below.

The full guidance can be accessed here.

[1] Stubbs, R.J., Pallister, C., Whybrow, S., Avery, A. and Lavin, J.H. (2011). Weight outcomes audit for 34,271 adults referred to a primary care/commercial weight management partnership scheme. Obesity Facts, 4(2): 113-120.

Notes to Editors

Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) in 1969. There are now more than 18,000 groups held weekly across the UK and Republic of Ireland via a network of 4,000 community-based Slimming World Consultants, who receive specific training in the role of diet and physical activity in weight management, as well as sophisticated behaviour-change techniques.

Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of satiety and energy density. Our phased activity programme, Body Magic, eases members into activity until it becomes an intrinsic part of their daily routine. The principles behind Slimming World’s philosophy are based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people and a recognition that those who struggle with weight carry a double burden, the weight itself and a burden of guilt and shame about their weight. Slimming World’s programme integrates practical, up-to-date advice with a highly developed support system based on care and compassion, and Consultant training focuses on facilitating behaviour change in a warm and friendly group environment. Consultant training is delivered through the Slimming World Academy. Slimming World also invests in a comprehensive research programme to develop its support for long-term weight management. The group support provided by Slimming World is recognised as effective by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the NHS.

For more information about Slimming World’s approach visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000.

For the Press Office please email public.relations@slimmingworld.co.uk