Preventing excess weight gain

What is this guideline about?

This guideline makes recommendations on behaviours that may help people maintain a healthy weight or prevent excess weight gain. These recommendations support those made in other NICE guidelines about effective interventions and activities to prevent people becoming overweight or obese. This includes interventions and activities in which weight is not the primary outcome, such as those aimed at preventing cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes, improving mental wellbeing or increasing active travel.

Excess weight may increase the risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, liver disease, osteoarthritis, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers such as breast, colon, endometrial and kidney cancer. People who are overweight or obese may also experience mental health problems, stigmatisation and discrimination because of their weight.

The guideline covers children (after weaning) and adults. It does not cover the particular needs of women during pregnancy or people who have conditions that increase their risk of being overweight or obese.

The guideline is for practitioners who use related NICE guidance and need advice on behaviours that may help people maintain a healthy weight and prevent excess weight gain. This includes practitioners who provide information on maintaining a healthy weight or preventing excess weight gain and people who commission, design, implement or evaluate interventions that directly or indirectly help different population groups maintain a healthy weight or prevent excess weight gain. In addition, it may be of interest to members of the public.