NHS launches Better Health campaign

Better Health will help capture the imagination of the nation, using this unique moment in time to help kick start our health – to eat better and get active.

Covid-19 has affected the whole country; for almost everyone, life has had to fundamentally change.

But it has also prompted many people to reflect and think more seriously about their health.

What’s more, people have been surprised by how able they have been to change their behaviour, with lockdown showing many that they are able to make and sustain changes to their lives.

Nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of adults in the UK are overweight or living with obesity.

Gaining weight is often a gradual process that takes place over a number of years and modern life doesn’t always make it easy.

But this extra weight causes pressure to build up around vital organs, making it harder for the body to fight against diseases like cancer, heart disease and now Covid-19.

By reducing your weight within a healthy range, you can cut your risk of being critically ill with Covid-19.

To improve health and wellbeing, individuals should aim to have a BMI below 25 and above 18.5.

NICE recommends that Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups (BAME) should aim to have a BMI below 23 and above 18.5 to avoid risks to health.

To support people to live healthier lives, the Better Health campaign will provide a variety of tools and apps to help you make healthier food choices, become more active and prevent future weight gain.

One of these tools is a free NHS Weight Loss Plan app, which provides 12 weeks’ worth of engaging content that can be personalised and tailored to the goals and needs of the individual.

It can help you be more active and start you on the road to losing weight.

Later down the line, support will also be made available to help people quit smoking, cut down their drinking and look after their mental health.

For help and support to lose weight, visit nhs.uk/BetterHealth.