Obesity
Being overweight and obese has become 
increasingly common over the last 30 years. This increases the risk of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes, and could reduce your life expectancy by an average of nine years.
Factors such as the environment , culture and family traditions will all have a part to play about what you eat and how much you exercise.
A few facts and tips about obesity are listed below but much more information is available on the
NHS Choices website. Please click
here for more information. A list of local and national supporting schemes are also outlined further down this page.
Facts
- A healthy weight can be maintained by eating the right amount of healthy food and regular exercise. 2000 calories a day are recommended for women and 2500 calories for men
- People planning to lose weight shoould check their BMI (see the chart below) and plan for realistic weight loss. Aim to lose 0.5 - 1kg (1-2lbs) per week
- Even a small amount of weight loss (5 - 10% body weight) can have huge health benefits
- Exercise should be part of any weight loss plan and walking is an excellent way to get started
- Don't just think about food, alcoholic drinks are high in calories too
- Boredom, stress, lack of time and habit may encourage you to overeat or drink
You can use a
BMI calculator to find out anyone's healthy weight for their age, sex and height.
Services and more information
Change4Life
A national initiative providing practical advice on how to make healthy lifestyle changes. For more information click here
Cycle for Health
The Cycle for Health scheme encourages people to become physically active through cycling. For more information click here
Walk for Health
The Walk for Health scheme encourages people to become physically active through walking. There are a wide variety of supervised walks each week to cater for all levels of fitness. For more information click here
