From this week, individuals who meet specific criteria can sign up to a free online NHS weight loss programme – via their pharmacist.
They can access a comprehensive 12-week scheme which aims to help people lose weight through a plan of diet and exercise.
Until now, obese patients with either high blood pressure or diabetes had to be seen by their GP before they could access the programme in England.
But from today (Tuesday, January 25), high street pharmacists can sign people up to the programme, in a bid to make the scheme more accessible and ease strain on the NHS.
Read more: ‘I’m trying to lose 6 stone after I realised I weighed more than a heavyweight boxer’
(Image: PA)
More than 50,000 referrals have already been made, to a programme which is largely viewed as a success in a effort to develop a healthier population.
UK-wide NHS costs attributable to overweight and obese individuals are projected to reach £9.7 billion by 2050, according to official Government statistics.
Three in five adults in England are overweight, with more than one in four living with obesity
Eligibility criteria for the weight loss programme
To qualify for a free weight loss plan on the NHS, you need to meet certain criteria.
People need to have a body mass index (BMI) over 30 to sign up and are contacted within 10 days to start the programme.
Those from Asian, black and minority ethnic backgrounds can join the programme at a lower BMI of 27.5, due to their increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.
You can check your body mass index by entering your height and weight into this BMI calculator here provided by the NHS.
Dr Bruce Warner, deputy chief pharmaceutical officer at NHS England, said: “Obesity is a significant threat to the nation’s health – it increases your chance of dying from Covid and puts you at greater risk of stroke, cancer and other deadly disease.
“The NHS’s radical action plan means it is now easier for people to take control of their health – adults with obesity can now walk into any high street community pharmacy to take the first step on a life-changing weight loss journey.”
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