Healthy weight

Find out about the North Yorkshire adult weight management service and information on healthy eating and keeping active.

Feel better inside and out by signing up for 24 weeks of free support to help you manage your weight.

What is the adult weight management service?

The adult weight management service is a 24-week programme designed to improve your physical and mental health by helping you eat well and get moving.

Clients report feeling more confident, having more energy, sleeping better and seeing an improvement in their general wellbeing.

A team of friendly qualified lifestyle advisors will be there every step of the way through a combination of online, telephone and face-to-face support.

You’ll get a personalised weight loss plan to help you make positive changes and it’s completely free.

If you achieve a five per cent weight loss after the first 12 weeks of the programme, you’ll get another 12 weeks of free support.

Who is the service for?

The adult weight management service is for people over 18 who live, work or are registered with a GP in North Yorkshire.

The programme is available for people with a BMI of 30 or over, or anyone with a BMI of 25 or above who is also in a black or minority ethnic group, or has conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or hypertension.

BMI stands for ‘body mass index’ and is a way to find out if you're a healthy weight for your height. You can calculate your BMI on the NHS Choices website.

If you’re still not sure how to work out your BMI or have any of the health conditions mentioned above, your GP will be able to give you advice on the programme.

If you are not eligible to use the service, you can still find information on losing weight on the NHS Choices website.

How do I contact my local adult weight management service?

There are six adult weight management schemes in North Yorkshire covering the whole county.

You can contact your local scheme direct, or you can ask your GP about the programme.

Contact details and a link to more information about each scheme can be found in the following table.

Area Scheme Contact details
Craven ‘Healthy Lifestyles’ Find out more about the Craven programme on the Craven website.
Hambleton ‘Take That Step’ Find out more about the Hambleton programme on the Hambleton website.
Harrogate ‘Fit4Life’ Find out more about the Harrogate programme on the Brimhams Active website.
Richmondshire ‘Choose to Lose’ Find out more about the Richmondshire programme on our Choose to Lose page.
Scarborough and Ryedale Humber NHS Foundation Trust – Scarborough and Ryedale NHS Weight Management

Find out more about Scarborough and Whitby programme on the NHS YOURhealth website.

Find out more about Ryedale programme on the NHS YOURhealth website.

Selby ‘Move It Lose It’ Find out more about the Selby programme on the Active North Yorkshire website.

What do service users say about the programme?

Over 90% of people who joined the adult weight management programme in 2023 rated the service as good or excellent.

You can watch a short video to hear from Leanne about how the programme has helped her and other North Yorkshire residents to feel happier and healthier.

 

You can also hear from Chris about how the programme helped him and others.

How can I make sure I am eating healthily?

Healthy eating can help you to manage you weight, improve your digestion, increase your sense of wellbeing and reduce the risk of illness.

The key to eating well is having the correct proportions of a variety of foods for a balanced diet, in line with the Eatwell Guide

Visit Eat well on the NHS website for loads of healthy eating advice including the different food groups we should include in our diet and in what proportions.

The popular, free food scanner app Food Facts can scan your food labels and tell you how much added sugar is in the food you’re buying, to help you decide what food choices to make.

What are the risks of being overweight or underweight?

Eating too much sugar can affect your weight, your dental health and can cause health conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Being overweight can also increase your risk of stroke, and some types of cancer such as breast cancer and bowel cancer.

Being underweight

Being underweight can also damage your health leading to problems such as a weakened immune system, tiredness and brittle bones. For more information about maintaining a healthy weight as an adult, see the NHS Choices website.

Other useful sources of information