Local pharmacies help Bristol shape up with free weight loss classes

Residents
in Bristol are being offered a helping hand to shape up this September with the
launch of a new pharmacy weight loss campaign.

In Bristol
almost 58 per cent of men, and over half the population, are overweight or obese which
can lead to long term conditions such as type II diabetes, heart disease and
some types of cancer.

Organised
by Public Health Bristol within Bristol City Council, the pharmacy campaign is
aimed at overweight men especially those who also have a long-term condition
such as diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis. The campaign will
run throughout September and offers Bristol residents free slimming classes to
help people achieve their weight loss goals.

During September,
residents can pop into their local pharmacy and sign up for free WeightWatchers
or Slimming World sessions, which run for 12 weeks at locations across the
city. Alternatively, people can ask at their local GP Practice to be
referred to the scheme.

Becky
Pollard, director of Public Health Bristol, said: “This new campaign is
designed to give people the boost they need to start their weight loss journey.
Research has shown that results are much better when people receive weekly
support and advice. We’ve seen many people succeed with these classes so I’m
hoping that Bristol residents will make the most of the free sessions. The
classes are friendly, easily accessible and run at many locations across the
city – all you need to do is take that first step and give it a go.

“The
scheme is open to people with a Body Mass Index of 28 or above. You have to be
over 16, registered with a Bristol GP and not already attending a slimming club
to be eligible.”

The
campaign will be running in all pharmacies in Bristol and staff will be on hand
with a range of useful resources such as information leaflets, Body Mass Index
(BMI) calculator charts, low calorie recipe cards for tasty meal ideas and fun
fridge magnets to help people stay on track.

Councillor
Daniella Radice, Assistant Mayor for Neighbourhoods with responsibility for
Public Health, said: “Most of us know the advice about eating the right foods
and taking enough exercise, but losing weight is not easy. Our modern
lifestyles are often sedentary and promote overeating, often of sugary or fatty
foods, so we’re not burning off the calories we consume. The problem in
Bristol, as in much of the country, is that half of residents are now
overweight. These slimming classes are designed to change the way we look at food
and help people to lead healthier, happier lives.”