The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is proving to be a crucial public health tool after new research revealed the initiative has helped some people lose more than eight pounds.
The research shows that half of the almost 64,000 people who were referred to the service in its first year, took up the offer and enrolled.
Around 14,000 people went onto complete the programme and lost 3.9kg or 8.6lbs over 12 weeks.
The average weight loss for all the people who started the programme in its first year (including those who did not complete it) was 2.2kg or 4.9lbs.
The initiative also helped to tackle health inequalities as data indicates that over a third of the referrals were from patients with Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Almost three in five of the first year's referrals were women with an average age of 57 – more than three-quarters were aged between 40-69.
National clinical director for diabetes and obesity at NHS England (NHSE), Dr Clare Hambling, said: “These results are extremely encouraging and show that by combining the effectiveness of existing weight management services with an easy to access service available on your phone or computer, more people can be supported to improve their health.”
While there were 64,000 referrals from primary care in the scheme’s first year, there have been nearly 360,000 referrals in total, as of last month.
The research, published in The Obesity Journal, found that the digital element of the service helped to expand reach and therefore overall effectiveness.
Public health minister, Andrea Leadsom, said: “Services like this one are a vital tool for improving public health and easing pressures on our NHS from complex conditions.”
This is one part of the NHSE’s plan to reduce obesity and type 2 diabetes, with the world-leading NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme also featuring.
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