The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued new weight loss guidelines for the NHS in England, advising overweight individuals to 'lose a little and keep it off' for life. The recommendations focus on sending people to slimming classes with the goal of achieving a 3% reduction in body weight.
NICE states that even a modest weight loss of around 3%, which could be just a few pounds for many, can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes and certain cancers. For example, someone weighing 15st 10lb would need to shed just over six pounds to meet this target. Currently, two in three adults in England are overweight, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) above 25.
Professor Mike Kelly, director of the centre for public health at NICE, emphasised that the guidelines are about lifelong change rather than yo-yo dieting. He said, 'We would like to offer an instant solution... but realistically it's important to bear in mind this is difficult.' He added that sustainable weight loss requires resolve and encouragement, not quick fixes.
Public health nutritionist Gill Fine, who led the guideline development, noted that sustained 3% weight loss could alter the trajectory of expanding waistlines. She commented, 'If people think they've got to lose over a stone, they don't lose a stone and they get disheartened... but if they can just lose a little bit, keep that weight off then that is going to give them a health benefit.'
However, the guidelines have faced criticism. Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, argued that a 3% reduction is insufficient, stating, 'At least a 5% weight loss, and preferably one of 10%, have been weight reduction targets in past years and they still should be today.' He called the recommendation a compromise rather than clinical excellence.
The guidance recommends weight-management programmes lasting at least three months, with target weights set for the end of the programme and after one year. These programmes should plan calorie reduction without banning specific foods. Established NHS programmes and private businesses like Rosemary Conley, Slimming World, and Weight Watchers are included.
