Preventing overweight, obesity and central adiposity

1.3 Information and support to help people maintain a healthier weight

Encouraging people to make changes

See also the sections on physical activity approaches, dietary approaches and raising public awareness, NICE's guidelines on walking and cycling and eating disorders, and NHS advice on meat in your diet, recommended levels of alcohol consumption and calories in alcohol.

1.3.1

Advise people to avoid extreme physical activity or dietary behaviours (such as obsessively exercising or cutting out all carbohydrates in the long term) that are difficult to sustain and may not be accompanied by wider health benefits. [2015]

1.3.2

Encourage everyone to identify perceptions, behaviours or situations that may undermine their efforts to maintain a healthier weight or prevent excess weight gain in the long term. These may include:

  • drinking sugary or alcoholic drinks

  • limiting fruit and vegetable intake

  • underestimating how much food is consumed

  • overestimating how much physical activity is being done

  • overeating after being physically active

  • planning and taking part in social events that focus on food

  • using 'sweet treats' as a reward or emotional comfort or giving them regularly as gifts

  • difficulties with consistently following physical activity and healthy eating plans during weekends and holidays, or after illness. [2015, amended 2025]

1.3.3

Encourage behaviours that may help people to keep an eye on their weight or associated behaviours, but be aware of risks for people who have or might develop disordered eating. For adults, behaviours may include:

1.3.4

Give sources of accurate information (such as the NHS Better Health) and details of local services to people who have any concerns about their – or their family's – diet, activity levels or weight. [2015, amended 2025]

Communicating the benefits of healthy behaviours and gradual improvements

1.3.5

Explain that the physical and mental health benefits of being more physically active and improving dietary behaviours are not limited to maintaining a healthier weight. They also include, for example:

  • improved mental wellbeing

  • enjoyment from physical activities, including the social aspects of shared activities

  • reduced risk of developing diseases associated with excess weight such as heart disease, hypertension, liver disease, osteoarthritis, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and reduced risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes

  • the health benefits of losing weight before pregnancy

  • reduced breathlessness, improved fitness and other benefits from increased physical activity that are independent of weight

  • lower blood cholesterol, improved oral health and other benefits from improved dietary behaviours that are independent of weight. [2015]

1.3.6

Explain that even small, gradual improvements to physical activity and dietary intake are likely to be helpful. Emphasise that:

  • Improving dietary intake and being physically active are as important for people who are currently a healthy weight as for people who are living with overweight.

  • Weight gain in adulthood is not inevitable. It is possible to avoid gaining weight with age by being physically active and eating a diet based on foods and drinks with a lower energy density.

  • No single physical activity, food or drink will maintain a healthy weight – a combination of actions is needed. [2015]

Advice for family and carers of children and young people

1.3.7

Encourage family, carers and others regularly caring for children and young people to:

Tailoring messages for specific groups

1.4 Healthcare professionals

All settings

1.4.1

Focus interventions to increase physical activity on activities that:

  • fit easily into people's everyday life (such as walking)

  • are tailored to people's individual preferences and circumstances

  • aim to improve people's belief in their ability to change (for example, by motivational interviewing and discussing positive effects).

    Give ongoing support (including appropriate written materials) in person or by phone, letter, email or online and social media resources. [2006]

1.4.2

Offer individually tailored, multicomponent interventions and ongoing support to improve diet (and reduce energy intake). For example, interventions that include dietary modification, targeted advice, family involvement and goal setting. [2006]

1.4.3

Ensure that interventions to prevent obesity, including promotional, awareness-raising activities, are part of a long-term, multicomponent intervention rather than one-off activities, and are accompanied by targeted follow up with different population groups. [2006]

1.4.4

At times when weight gain is more likely, such as after pregnancy, around menopause and when stopping smoking, ask permission to discuss weight, dietary intake and activity. If they agree, give them:

  • information on services that provide advice on prevention and management of overweight and obesity

  • general advice on long-term overweight and obesity management, in particular encouraging increased physical activity. [2006]

1.4.5

Actively involve family and carers in all actions aimed at preventing excess weight gain, optimising nutritional intake and increasing activity levels in children and young people. [2006]

Community settings

1.4.6

Support and promote community schemes and facilities that improve access to physical activity, such as walking or cycling routes, combined with tailored information, based on an audit of local needs. [2006]

1.4.7

Support and promote behavioural change programmes along with tailored advice to help people become more active, for example by walking or cycling instead of driving or taking the bus. [2006]

1.4.8

Offer ongoing support from an appropriately trained healthcare professional to families of children and young people identified as being at high risk of obesity, such as children with at least 1 parent living with obesity. Think about individual as well as family-based interventions, depending on the age and maturity of the child. [2006]

Preschool, childcare and family settings

1.4.9

Ensure that any programme offered to prevent obesity in preschool, childcare or family settings includes a range of components (rather than focusing on parental education alone) to promote healthy eating and physical activity. These could include:

  • interactive cookery demonstrations

  • videos and group discussions on practical issues such as meal planning and shopping for food and drink

  • interactive physical activity sessions

  • videos and group discussions on practical issues such as ideas for physical activities opportunities for active play, safety and local facilities. [2006]

1.4.10

Ensure that family programmes offered to prevent obesity, improve dietary intake or increase physical activity levels provide ongoing, tailored support, incorporate a range of behaviour-change techniques and use non-stigmatising language and images (see NICE's guidance on behaviour change: individual approaches), and have a clear aim to improve health. [2006, amended 2025]

1.5 Local or regional strategic partnerships

Managers and budget holders in local or regional strategic partnerships

1.5.1

Ensure a whole-systems approach to preventing and managing obesity is a priority at both strategic and delivery levels in all health and social care and community settings. Facilitate links between organisations to ensure that local public policies improve access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity and allocate dedicated resources for action to activities that:

  • address both physical activity and diet

  • use effective methods for encouraging and enabling behaviour change

  • be targeted and tailored, using local knowledge (such as the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment or local surveys) to meet the needs of the population, recognising that some groups may need more support than others. [2006 and 2015]

1.5.2

Set an example as employers by developing policies to prevent and manage obesity in line with existing guidance and (in England) the local overweight and obesity strategy. In particular:

  • promote healthy food and drink choices in on-site catering (for example by signs, posters, pricing and positioning of products)

  • establish policies, facilities and information to promote physical activity, for example, through travel plans, by providing showers and secure cycle parking and by using signposting and improved décor to encourage stair use. [2006]

1.5.3

Ensure that systems are in place in primary care to implement the local overweight and obesity strategy. Enable health professionals with specific training, including public health practitioners working on their own or as part of multidisciplinary teams, to provide interventions to prevent and manage obesity. [2006]

1.5.4

Address barriers to healthcare professionals providing support and advice (such as internalised and societal weight stigma), particularly their concerns about the effectiveness of interventions, people's receptiveness and ability to change, and the impact of advice on relationships with the person. [2006, amended 2025]

1.5.5

Engage with the local community to identify environmental barriers to physical activity and healthy eating. This includes planning, transport and leisure services and should involve:

  • an audit, with the full range of partners including local or regional strategic partnerships, residents, businesses and institutions

  • assessing (ideally by doing a health impact assessment):

    • how policies affect local people's opportunities to be physically active and eat a healthy diet

    • any barriers that may affect some groups of people differently, for example, because of their age, sex, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, disability or weight stigma.

      Address any barriers identified in this way. [2006, amended 2025]

1.5.6

Work with all parts of local or regional strategic partnerships to create and manage more safe spaces for incidental and planned physical activity. Address as a priority any concerns about safety, crime and inclusion, by:

  • providing facilities such as cycling and walking routes, cycle parking, area maps and safe play areas

  • making streets safer and reducing pollution, through measures such as traffic calming, congestion charging, pedestrian crossings, cycle routes, lighting and walking schemes

  • ensuring buildings and spaces are designed to encourage people to be more physically active (for example, through positioning and signing of stairs, entrances and walkways)

  • considering in particular people who need tailored information and support, especially groups who are vulnerable, or less likely to be active (this could include people with neurodevelopmental conditions or learning disabilities). [2006]

1.5.7

Provide tailored advice from local and transport authorities, such as personalised travel plans, to increase active travel. [2006]

1.5.8

Encourage, through the whole-systems approach, all local shops, supermarkets and caterers to promote healthy food and drink choices, for example by signs, posters, pricing and positioning of products, in line with existing good practice guidance and (in England) with the local overweight and obesity strategy. [2006]

1.5.9

Ensure that all community programmes to prevent overweight and obesity, increase activity levels and improve diet (and reduce energy intake) address the concerns of participants from the outset. These might include the availability of services and the cost of changing behaviour, an expectation that healthier foods do not taste as good, dangers associated with walking and cycling and confusion over mixed messages in the media about weight, diet and activity. Tailor messages to any local concerns and involve those with lived experience of overweight or obesity in developing and updating programmes. [2006, amended 2025]

1.5.10

Include awareness-raising promotional activities in community-based interventions, but ensure they are part of a longer-term, multicomponent intervention rather than one-off activities. [2006]

1.6 Schools, nurseries and childcare facilities

All early-years settings, nurseries, other childcare facilities and schools

1.6.1

Ensure that improving the nutrition and activity levels of children and young people is a priority for action in all early-years settings, nurseries, other childcare facilities and schools to help prevent excess weight gain. Use a whole-school approach to develop lifelong healthy eating, physical activity practices, emotional wellbeing, self-esteem and positive body image. [2025]

1.6.2

Involve families and carers in any action aimed at preventing excess weight gain, optimising nutritional intake or increasing activity levels in children in early-years settings, nurseries, other childcare facilities and schools. For example, through newsletters, and information about lunch menus and after-school activities. [2025]

1.6.3

Nurseries and other childcare facilities should:

1.6.4

Ensure that children and young people in early-years settings, nurseries, other childcare facilities and schools eat regular, healthy meals (including packed lunches), drinks and snacks in a pleasant, sociable and inclusive environment free from other distractions (such as screens). Ensure that children and young people are given adequate time to finish their meals. [2025]

1.6.7

When planning school-based interventions to prevent overweight and obesity, take into account:

  • the evidence for the intervention

  • the views of children and young people

  • any differences in preferences because of sex, culture or belief

  • sensory needs

  • ways to overcome potential barriers (such as cost or possible preconceptions children may have about the taste of healthier foods)

  • the child or young person's school healthcare plan (if they have one). [2025]

1.6.8

Staff delivering physical education, sport and other physical activity in schools should:

For a short explanation of why the committee made the 2025 recommendations and how they might affect practice, see the .

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review H: effectiveness of healthy living programmes in preventing overweight and obesity in children and young people.

Headteachers and chairs of governors of schools

1.6.9

In collaboration with parents and pupils, assess the whole school environment and ensure that the ethos of all school policies helps children and young people to maintain a healthier weight, eat a healthy diet and be physically active, in line with existing standards and guidance. This includes policies relating to:

  • building layout and recreational spaces

  • catering (including vending machines) and the food and drink pupils bring into school for themselves or others

  • rewards or incentives (policies should cover avoiding ones based on food)

  • the taught curriculum (including PE)

  • school travel plans and provision for cycling

  • bullying (including addressing bullying related to weight). [2006]

1.6.10

Ensure that teaching, support and catering staff understand the importance of healthy-school policies and how to support their implementation. [2006]

1.6.11

Ensure interventions are sustained, multicomponent and address the whole school, including after-school clubs and other activities. Short-term interventions and one-off events are insufficient on their own and should be part of a long-term integrated programme. [2006]

1.7 Workplaces

1.7.1

Occupational health staff and public health practitioners in workplaces should establish partnerships with local businesses to support the implementation of workplace programmes to prevent and manage overweight and obesity. [2006]

1.7.2

All workplaces, particularly large organisations such as the NHS and local authorities, should address preventing and managing overweight and obesity, because of the considerable impact on the health of the workforce and associated costs to business. Collaborate with local or regional strategic partnerships and ensure that action is in line with the local overweight and obesity strategy (in England). [2006]

1.7.3

Provide opportunities for staff to eat a healthy diet and be more physically active, through:

  • active and continuous promotion of healthy choices in restaurants, hospitality, vending machines and shops for staff and clients, in line with Public Health England guidance on healthier and more sustainable catering; use tailored educational and promotional programmes to support this, which could include behavioural intervention or environmental changes (for example, food labelling or changes to availability)

  • working practices and policies, such as active travel policies for staff and visitors

  • a supportive physical environment, such as improvements to stairwells and providing showers and secure cycle parking

  • recreational opportunities, such as supporting out-of-hours social activities, lunchtime walks and use of local leisure facilities. [2006]

1.7.4

Ensure incentive schemes (such as policies on travel expenses, the price of food and drinks sold in the workplace and contributions to gym membership) that are used in a workplace are sustained and part of a wider programme to support staff in managing weight, improving dietary intake and increasing activity levels. [2006]

1.7.5

Ensure that any health checks provided for staff offer an opportunity to discuss weight, dietary intake and activity, and provide appropriate ongoing support. [2006]