Help with weight management

Please note: The Slimming World, Man V Fat and Gloji Mind Plus contracts with Norfolk County Council come to an end on 31 March 2023. Information on all available commissioned weight management services will be displayed in due course.

More than two-thirds of adults in Norfolk are classed as overweight or obese. If you're overweight or obese it can impact on your physical and mental health. It can also increase your risk of certain illnesses:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Developing certain types of cancer
• Worse symptoms and impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Changing your diet and increasing your physical activity will help you lose weight. But if you've a lot to lose or have a medical condition, talk to your GP first about the best weight loss options for you.

To find out if you're a healthy weight, use the NHS BMI calculator.

As part of clinical evidence and best practice guidance (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - NICE), there are a number of long-term health conditions associated with obesity and Norfolk County Council’s commissioned services for weight management reflect this with setting eligibility for those with a BMI of 30 and over.

Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups have a higher risk of developing some long-term (chronic) conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. As part of clinical evidence Norfolk County Council’s commissioned services for weight management reflect this with setting eligibility for those with a BMI of 27.5 and over.

Free Slimming World on referral

A Slimming World on Referral Scheme operates in Norfolk. The scheme entitles you to 12 weeks Slimming World group membership, or 3 months online support.

To be eligible for the free programme you must meet all the following criteria:

• Be a Norfolk resident (or registered with a Norfolk GP)
• Be aged 18 years or over
• Have a BMI of 30 and above OR a BMI of 27.5 and above if you are Asian, Black African or African Caribbean
• Not attended a commercial weight management service (such as Slimming World) in the past 6 months
• Be committed to attending 12 group or online weight management sessions

Exclusion criteria: 
Clients who have already had a referral to the Public Health Tier 2 weight management programme in the last 12 months

If you think you're eligible and want to take up the free Slimming World offer, follow the instructions below to prepare for the registration process. You will need to make some notes.

How to register with Slimming World

Step 1: note down your answers to the following questions

Question 1: How many portions of fruit and vegetables do you eat on a usual day? Give an answer between 0 and 10 or more. As a rough guide, 1 portion is the amount you can fit in the palm of your hand.

Question 2: How aware are you of colour-coded food labels on pre-packaged food and drinks? Pick one of the following answers: 

1. Not aware
2. Aware but don't understand them
3. Understand them but ignore them
4. Understand them and occasionally use them to make food choices
5. Understand them and regularly use them to make food choices

Question 3: Which of the following best describes how much physical activity you normally do each week? (Tip: think only about physical activity that would get your heart and breathing rate up.)

1. I do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.
2. I do somewhere between 30 minutes and two and a half hours of physical activity a week.
3. I do two and a half hours or more physical activity a week

Question 4: Which of the following best describes how you feel about your levels of physical activity? Pick one answer from below:

1. I am happy with the amount of physical activity I do, and do not want to do more.
2. I am unhappy with the amount of physical activity I do and want to do more.
3. I am happy with the amount of physical activity I do, and want to do more.

Question 5: Answer all the statements below.

You'll need to give each statement a 1 to 5 rating: 1 - none of the time; 2 - rarely; 3 - some of the time; 4 - often; 5 - all of the time

• Statement A: I've been feeling optimistic about the future
• Statement B: I've been feeling useful
• Statement C: I've been feeling relaxed
• Statement D: I've been dealing with problems well
• Statement E: I've been thinking clearly
• Statement F: I've been feeling close to other people
• Statement G: I've been able to make up my own mind about things

Step 2: contact Slimming World

Call the Slimming World Team on 01773 306856 and give them your answers to the questionnaire above. You will not be able to register if you do not have all these answers ready.

They will also ask you to choose a group to attend, or if you prefer you can opt for a Slimming World Online course.

At the end of your 12 weeks free membership you will be asked these same questions again to record how things have changed for you. This is very important and will help us to understand the value of this fully funded scheme.

MAN v FAT

MAN v FAT offers activities for men who want to lose weight, with funded opportunities for individuals and workplaces across Norfolk.

MAN v FAT Football is available for men with a BMI of 27.5 or over and, in partnership with Norfolk County Council, there is the opportunity to get involved in Great Yarmouth, Kings Lynn, Norwich and Thetford!

If football isn't your thing but you still want to lose weight in an online community of like-minded men, then MAN v FAT Challenge can help you to tackle weekly exercise and nutrition challenges at a time that suits you. If you live in Norfolk or have a Norfolk GP your place is fully funded.

MAN v FAT are also looking to work with workplaces across the county, with MAN v FAT Challenge At Work. Form a team of men of your own workmates and take on the challenges together competing against companies from across Norfolk.

For more information go to the MAN v FAT website

Gloji Mind Plus

The Gloji Mind Plus programme has now closed across the Norfolk region, and we are no longer taking referrals. 

Other support available

If you're not eligible or interested in either Slimming World or Man V Fat there are other options to choose from on the NHS Better Health website or via Norfolk County Council's Ready to Change website.