Slimming World calls for the new Government to commit to helping people living with obesity

Slimming World’s ‘Five-point manifesto to support people and families living with obesity’ calls on the Government to commit to policies that support people to lose weight with a personalised, compassionate approach, improve health outcomes, and relieve the financial burden on the NHS.

By 2050, it is predicted that the number of adults in the UK who are living with obesity will rise by 73% to 26 million people. Even with rising costs to the NHS and the UK economy – those living with obesity are more likely to be absent at work – the incumbent Government’s obesity strategy was subject to downgrading and U-turns. In 2023 it was effectively replaced with the announcement of a £40 million pilot to roll out GLP-1 weight-loss medication to a wider population.

Elise Wells, Slimming World Director, says: “It is easy to believe that the new generation of GLP-1 weight loss medications are the holy grail, but there are still issues with supply and they won’t be suitable for everyone. If, in future, they become the only treatment option available to help patients, it leaves those that for whatever reason can’t have them or don’t want them, with no support.”

Slimming World’s five calls to government are:

Call 1:  To actively support the option of evidence-based and effective lifestyle-based weight loss programmes so that healthcare professionals have a full range of treatment choices for people without medicalising obesity as the first and only option.

Call 2: To ensure effective and evidence-based wraparound support – comprising diet, physical activity, and behaviour change strategies – for people using weight-loss drugs, with a robust monitoring and evaluation strategy to ensure prescribers are compliant with these guiding principles of effective weight loss.

Call 3: Publish clear guidance on healthy weight management in pregnancy with the introduction of clear guidelines on safe and healthy weight gain for all pregnant women, regardless of their starting BMI. 

Call 4: Establish a coherent strategy, long-term to recognise the link between overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes and commit to removing the societal stigma, challenges and misconceptions that prevent people accessing diagnosis, treatment and support.

Call 5: Introduce training for healthcare professionals to enable sensitive and skilled conversations about weight. Mandatory training should be introduced for all healthcare professionals who interact with patients living with overweight and obesity to equip them with the skills to raise the issue of obesity and weight management sensitively and effectively.

Elise continues: “Slimming World believes that by adopting these five calls, a new government will be able to make a very real impact on the lives and health of people living with obesity.

“We understand the complexities of living with obesity, and the challenge of losing weight and maintaining that weight loss. People living with obesity need compassion, support and the tools to make behaviour changes and create healthy habits for life. We will welcome anyone who is struggling with their weight, including those prescribed weight loss medication, as we truly believe with Slimming World, they’ll discover how to make healthy lifestyle changes that will stay with them long after they stop having the injections.”

Download the full manifesto below.