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Has the NHS enabled you to successfully manage your weight?

pdmjoker

Well-Known Member
Messages
426
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Because of poor experiences, many will laugh at this 30/09/2018 quote from "Has 'dieting' become a dirty word?": https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45652749

"Dr Matthew Capehorn, a GP based in Rotherham ..."

"... says specialist weight management services from the NHS can encompass the physical, metabolic and emotional perspective of weight loss because they have the professional knowledge, equipment and medicine to do so."

Question: via The Diabetes Prevention Programme or otherwise, has the NHS enabled you to successfully manage your weight?
 
@pdmjoker I read this too and nearly giggled myself silly!! Did the NHS help me manage weight? Instinctively the answer is NO because I have put on weight since being diagnosed 1 year ago. The dietician say to follow my usual way of eating and bolus accordingly.
 
Couldn’t type for laughing.. I got a poor photocopy of the Eatwell Guide that was almost illegible.. (possibly a plus)...
 
Thanks for the article. In my view, there is still the emphasis on individuals being blamed for being overweight and the wider context of why people overeat continues to be ignored. The NHS specialist weight management programmes were good but most of them stopped due to funding issues - the usual short sighted approach by the NHS, not wanting to invest in an intensive programme but prepared to keep people on medication for life, perform bariatric surgery etc. I also feel food production/provision companies must take some responsibility because its not in their interest for people to eat more healthy fresh foods, which would affect profits
 
I have never tried to lose any weight so I have no idea what the NHS advise, presumably "eat less, move more". What would members of the forum suggest the NHS approach should be? Low carb diet no doubt but is that it?
 
Mr_Pot said:
I have never tried to lose any weight so I have no idea what the NHS advise, presumably "eat less, move more". What would members of the forum suggest the NHS approach should be? Low carb diet no doubt but is that it?
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To be honest it would probably be more effective?
I'd probably go with cut out sugar and all processed food (especially breakfast cereals) cook from raw ingredients and eat 3 meals a day with no snacking.

Edit to add which is not of course how I fuel my body but should be relatively achievable for most people?
 
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OK, earlier in the year I had some blood tests done as I had a 'rolling gait' and had been losing weight for a while - that's when the diabetes was diagnosed. Since then I have been put on Metformin which, for me, has been an appetite suppressant, changed my diet etc and I have continued to loose weight. So, has the NHS helped me to lose weight?

I feel it is more that the diabetes has been the cause and the effect of my weight lose. I have learnt [and still learning!] so much on this forum that will, hopefully, help me to find a diet that is right for me but I understand how lots of you struggle with your weight [been there and done that before!] and this, on top of everything else, must be disheartening May strength be with you!
 
Mr_Pot said:
I have never tried to lose any weight so I have no idea what the NHS advise, presumably "eat less, move more". What would members of the forum suggest the NHS approach should be? Low carb diet no doubt but is that it?
Click to expand...

The Specialist Weight Management Programmes were very effective. It entailed a multidisciplinary approach and the patient was seen by a dietician, psychologist and activity coordinator. The research showed that most patients took four years to change patterns and lose weight; unfortunately in my area the programme was closed after four years, and I think this happened in a lot of areas
 

Four years? When I looked into LCHF I couldn't see anything that might be harmful so I decided to give it six weeks. If those few weeks hadn't shown a modicum of improvement I was going to look elsewhere. Guess what happened?
 
zand said:
lol No, quite the opposite.
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I thought I would just ask in order to get some "balance"!
Edit: My Diabetes Prevention Programme experience was "eat less, move more" and blame the patient for lacking will-power. 100 years ago it was found that calorie- restriction caused a slowdown in metabolism so calorie-restricted diets are doomed to failure and the 1% success rate quoted my Jason Fung bears this out...
 
SueJB said:
I read this too and nearly giggled myself silly!!
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I knew some would - I found him saying the NHS having "the professional knowledge, equipment and medicine to do so." hilarious!
 
Guzzler said:
Four years? When I looked into LCHF I couldn't see anything that might be harmful so I decided to give it six weeks. If those few weeks hadn't shown a modicum of improvement I was going to look elsewhere. Guess what happened?
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Four years for completion of treatment - patients would usually begin losing weight straight away. I think the point is that obesity is not just about diet, there are a lot of psychological and behavioural factors in place which take time to work through.

What happened then?
 

Most important thing happened, one month from diagnosis and a fall in A1c of 25 points. And weight loss but for me that was always going to be secondary. I've not experienced psychological problems surrounding food and I wouldn't like to hazard a guess as to how long (or even if) it takes to overcome, I should imagine it would take longer than four years. Having said that, do you know of the number of people whose problems are grounded in emotional responses to food rather than e.g habit, education etc?
 


Well done, you are fortunate that you don't have any psychological issues around food but many people do. You may find this study of some interest.

And yes, I do know many people whose problems are grounded in emotional responses, having worked in mental health for over 34 years. If you want specific stats I'm am sure Dr Google will provide
 

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