UK SLIM MAP - NEW STATS SHOW SLIMMERS IN THE NORTH WEST DO BEST

Results of a campaign to tackle obesity in communities across the UK put the North West at the top of the weight loss league.

The first ever 'Slim Map' of the UK, published today (25/11/2010), compares the weight losses in communities nationwide. The map has been produced by Slimming World from data collected during the club's Let's Beat It Together community challenge run over 12 weeks from February to May 2010. It is the first time that the slimming club - the largest in the UK - has made its weight loss data public.

A quarter of a million people took up the challenge, losing a total of 193,386 stones during the 12 weeks - an average of 11lbs each.

Weight loss data was collected from members in 6,700 Slimming World groups, all run locally in the heart of local communities. The results show the North West tops the slim league, with slimmers in the region losing 25,267 stones over the period. It is closely followed by the South East (22,082st), the South West (21,072st), Yorkshire and the Humber (19,442st) and the West Midlands (18,433st).

At county level, Greater Manchester in the North West comes top of the slimming stakes, losing 8,480 stones in 12-weeks, with West Yorkshire (7,839st), Outer London (7,536st), Merseyside (6,990st) and Hampshire (6,653st) making up the top five weight loss counties.

"After smoking, obesity is the biggest issue threatening the health of our nation and we believe the government lacks a co-ordinated approach to overcoming it," says Slimming World's managing director Caryl Richards. "While (many) millions of pounds have been spent raising the public's awareness to the problems of overweight and the lifestyle changes we need to make, the campaigns haven't been effective in bringing about these changes. GPs, employers, families and individuals are looking for help, it's clear the NHS don't have the resources to beat obesity, and there's an urgent need for a co-ordinated nationwide approach. So we decided to take action and mobilise communities in every part of the UK ourselves! The campaign cost less than £1 per slimmer and we challenged every community to tackle obesity together. We know that it's a community issue - we believe the place to beat it is in every home, in every street and in every community, and that's what we aim to do.

"The North West obviously has a very strong community spirit and took the challenge to their hearts! These results show what a real impact getting the whole community involved can have. While the North West and Greater Manchester topped the slim league, the real achievement is how slimmers in groups in every single region took part in our 'Let's Beat it Together' campaign and succeeded in rising to the weight loss challenge to improve their health, confidence and self esteem - and that of their families too.

"The data shows that the regions where slimmers were most committed to getting support were the most successful. It's clear that social networks play an important role in influencing the habits of friends and family and that the combination of a sustainable eating plan and regular (effective) weekly support can make a real difference to your weight. As slimmers in those regions succeeded, so more people in their area decided to join the campaign and the weight loss snowballed.

"It's no surprise really. In our experience, losing weight by making changes to the way we shop, cook, eat and exercise requires commitment and support. Slimming World has always believed that the best way to achieve real behaviour change is through shared experience and understanding - getting the support you need to understand your own individual (often complex) emotional and psychological motivations in a compassionate and powerfully motivating group environment - and this campaign proves it.

"With a network of nearly 7,000 groups operating in the heart of every community across the UK, it's difficult to think of an organisation that's better placed than Slimming World to provide the empowering support that can make a real impact on reducing obesity in a healthy and sustainable way," adds Caryl Richards. "With a hard-pressed health service it's clear that there are few other organisations in a position to reach everyone in all our communities in this way - the young, the old, men or women, single or families - whatever their social or economic status. Slimming World is uniquely placed to offer an effective nationwide approach to tackling obesity, as the success of this campaign has demonstrated so clearly."

Jane De Ville-Almond, Vice Chair of the National Obesity Forum says: "This is an outstanding example of public health at its best and highlights the need for working partnerships across governmental departments, commercial sectors and the community to help tackle the current obesity epidemic. It's an amazing achievement to engage so many people in weight loss programmes and to change the behaviour of whole communities."

Professor Andrew Hill, Professor of Medical Psychology and Head of the Aacdemic Unit of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Leeds, says: "With so many negative stories in the news about overweight it's heartening to see the results of this campaign. These findings show that it is possible for thousands of people to lose weight and at a sensible rate. Losing weight, and keeping it off, is difficult on your own. The support of others such as family, friends, and the wider community, is key to success. Slimming World groups have the expertise and experience to help in behaviour change. They are also another brick in the wall of social support that is necessary to tackle obesity in the UK."

Slim League (top 10 counties)

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For further information please contact the Slimming World press office on 01773 546101 or 01773 546037 or email: public.relations@slimming-world.com.

Notes to Editors

• The UK Slim Map was produced using weight record data from 2,996,523 Slimming World attendances between w/c February 22 and w/e May 24.
• During Let's Beat It Together more than 6,700 Slimming World groups ran a range of activities in their local communities. These activities included, but were not limited to:
  • Talking to GPs, councillors, schools and MPs about obesity and Slimming World's work in local communities
  • Distributing leaflets and posters widely across the community
  • Running sessions in group where members and guests shared recipes and taster sessions for healthy meals
  • Raising debate about the issue in the local media
  • Inviting members to bring friends and family to open sessions between 22-27 February and rewarding those that took part with a 'free week'
  • A 12-week 'Challenge' with a £1,000 prize to a local community project as chosen by the Slimming World group with the highest average weight loss
• Slimming World is the largest and most advanced slimming organisation in the UK. Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) founded the company in 1969 and there are now 6,700 groups held weekly nationwide via a network of 2,700 Slimming World trained Consultants.
• In 2009 Slimming World celebrated four decades of helping people to lose weight without deprivation, guilt or hunger.
• Slimming World pioneered referral schemes in the UK and actively supports the building of partnerships with the NHS and local authorities to develop effective strategies to manage overweight and obesity in the community. Slimming World works with university researchers and specialists in an active research programme to further knowledge of the causes and treatment of obesity.
• 300,000 members attend Slimming World every week and achieve outstanding success.
• Slimming World's healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, and the principles behind Slimming World's philosophy are based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people. Slimming World integrates practical, up-to-date dietary advice with a highly developed support system.
• Slimming World Consultants receive specific training in dietary aspects and the role of physical activity in weight control. The highly developed training focuses on facilitating behaviour change in a group environment, acknowledged by experts as being the most effective way to support long-term weight management.

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