Now marking its 25th year, Slimming World on Referral has supported almost 750,000 NHS patients to lose more than six and a half million pounds in weight and adopt healthier, more sustainable lifestyles. Its success reflects not only the strength of the programme itself, but also the power of partnership and collaboration.
Latest NHS data indicates that 66% of adults aged 16 and over are living with overweight or obesity and the cost of living in poor health to the individual, the NHS and the economy, is estimated to be hundreds of billions of pounds , underlining the scale and urgency of this public health challenge.
Twenty-five years ago, the introduction of Slimming World on Referral marked an important step forward in how structured, community-based support could be integrated into NHS patient care pathways, help people reduce their risk of long-term health conditions, improve clinical markers such as weight and metabolic health, and develop healthier habits that last beyond the referral period.
To celebrate and reflect on this milestone and to help inform future developments, Slimming World brought together clinical experts, commissioners, academic researchers in the obesity sector, partners from service providers, and importantly, individuals with lived experience of obesity and referral pathways. These conversations provided valuable insight into both the strengths and challenges of current approaches to obesity care and opportunities for future care.
This report presents the findings from these conversations, specifically in relation to referral for:
- wraparound support for people prescribed weight loss medication
- weight management support for the prevention of type 2 diabetes
- and how the introduction of neighbourhood health centres could aid in the delivery of effective weight management care in the community.
Together, these insights have formed the basis of a set of recommendations for the Government aimed at strengthening and improving future weight management care:
- Address health inequalities by funding targeted interventions for high-risk populations and partnering with community organisations such as Slimming World already experiencing success in reaching underserved populations.
- Strengthen prevention and early detection of type 2 diabetes by utilising existing healthcare touchpoints in the community such as weight management groups, pharmacists and dentists.
- Include communication in the national framework for Neighbourhood Health Centres to ensure local services, both NHS-funded and self-funded, are proactively shared with healthcare professionals and the broader community to encourage engagement.
- Reinforce the importance of seeking evidence-based behaviour change support which is required to not only lose weight but maintain that weight loss long-term.
- Mandatory behaviour change wraparound support to sit alongside weight loss medication, holding organisations providing medication accountable for its effectiveness.
- Provide training for all healthcare professionals on how to have non-judgemental and compassionate conversations with their patients about weight, encouraging engagement in weight management programmes and aiding in reducing stigma.
- Simplify access to weight management programmes for patients, including accessible information on available services, a single access point and enhance digital tools while maintaining non-digital access routes.
By adopting these recommendations, the Government will be able to make a very real impact on the lives and health of people living with obesity.
Download the full report here
References
- https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/2024/adults-overweightand-obesity
- https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jul/02/obesity-overweight-cost-estimate-nhs-study
- Roundtables held on the 29/04/2026 at Slimming World’s Head Office in Derbyshire. Representatives from Slimming World were present alongside external academics, researchers, commissioners and other weight loss providers. The report write ups contain collective views shared during this event.