NHS weight loss ‘less effective than other schemes’

New research has suggested that NHS weight loss schemes are currently less effective than those offered commercially.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, involved 740 obese or overweight people in Birmingham.

They were divided into six groups, with some attending Weight Watchers, Slimming World and Rosemary Conley sessions.

Some participants attended a group-based NHS programme run by advisers and dieticians called Size Down, while others had one-to-one counselling sessions in GP surgeries or one-to-one counselling in pharmacies.

All six groups lost weight after 12 weeks, but people who went to commercially-run groups typically shed an extra 2.3kg when compared with the NHS schemes.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: "The best way to lose weight will be different for everyone.

"The local NHS must think about which weight management service will work best based on an individual patient's needs."

Research published by the University of Barcelona has indicated that eating a small portion of mixed nuts each day can help with weight loss.