Childhood and adolescent weight management programme

More than one fifth of young people in Britain are overweight or obese and the recent Foresight government report predicts that 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children will be clinically obese by 2050.

While the government is calling for a whole society approach, few systems are already in place to support young people and their parents to make healthy lifestyle changes together. Slimming World’s Family Affair programme was launched in January 2006 to offer support to influence the whole family’s lifestyle.

Slimming World offers free membership to 11-15 year-olds if their parent/carer and health professional agree that membership would benefit them. Our ‘Family Affair’ programme engages the whole family in making changes to adopt new healthier habits and a more active lifestyle. Since launching this service we welcome over 10,000 young members into our groups each year.

These young members come to weekly groups free of charge when they attend with a parent or guardian who is normally responsible for their meals. Young members who want to manage their weight require the support of their GP or other health professional before joining a group and we work with the health professional to establish appropriate weight management using NICE guidelines and height/weight charts from the Child Growth Foundation.

Slimming World has created tailored Free2Go literature that encourages small changes to eating and activity habits. We have also developed a package of guidance for health care professionals, Slimming World Consultants and the young member to use jointly to monitor their starting BMI, log any recommended weight control targets and to check progress every three months. We know that the majority of young people joining Slimming World groups are well above the 98th centile. Helping them to manage their weight as they grow can have a significant impact on health in later years.

We have developed our family policy after taking advice and guidance from an advisory team including Dr Julian Barth, Dr Andrew Hill and Professor Ken Fox. We are also currently working with a consultant paediatrician from Walsgrave Hospital and University of Warwick to pilot a family-based Slimming World on Referral scheme for teenagers.