Cambridge Weight Plan supports dieters in new BBC TV documentary

One-to-one support for dieters taking part in a new BBC One TV programme, due to be shown tomorrow night (Wednesday, May 30), has been provided by Cambridge Weight Plan (CWP) and four of its consultants.

The hour-long The Big Crash Diet Experiment, being shown at 8pm, shows how a CWP Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) – in conjunction with support from a CWP consultant– can be an extraordinarily successful way of losing weight and improving obesity-related health conditions including Type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis.

The BBC programme was made in conjunction with Susan Jebb, Professor of Diet and Population Health, and Professor Paul Aveyard, of the University of Oxford.

Professor Jebb, who is one of Britain’s leading weight loss experts, said: “What is absolutely clear from our research and the experience of the participants in the BBC Crash Diet Experiment is that success comes from a combination of the diet and the behavioural support people receive from Cambridge Weight Plan counsellors.

“People have confidence that the products contain all the essential nutrients they need, but it would be very hard to stick to the diet without support. Later, as people gradually return to more usual food, the advice from the counsellors is vital to help maintain the weight loss while developing a more sustainable eating plan.”

Four dieters, with a variety of medical issues, were first introduced to CWP products and their CWP consultant at a residential ‘boot camp’ last August, and then returned home to carry on using a CWP VLCD for eight weeks before food re-introduction.

Dr Paul Aveyard, GP and Professor of Behavioural Medicine, said: “Recent research has shown that for people who are very overweight a total diet replacement programme is a safe and effective way to lose weight.

The BBC Crash Diet Experiment brings that research to life, showing the everyday experience of four volunteers as they lose weight. Crucially, it also shows the health benefits of losing weight, with substantial reductions in blood pressure, reductions in fat in the liver and remission from diabetes.”

Cambridge Weight Plan consultants were matched geographically with the BBC’s chosen dieters and supported these slimmers throughout the duration of the filming.

CWP consultant Darren Donohue was the chief liaison point between the BBC programme makers and the other three CWP Consultants – Denise Frewin, Chantelle Fleming and Jenny Overington.

Darren said: “It's so rewarding to see people progress each week and reach milestones they never thought were possible in changing their lives to be healthier and happier.”

Professor Anthony Leeds, Medical Director of Cambridge Weight Plan, said: “The key to the success of the ’crash diet’ guinea pigs was the large amount of weight lost using nutritionally complete formula diet with one-to-one support provided by the Cambridge Consultants.”

Professor Leeds explained that only large amounts of weight loss of around one-and-a-half to three stone will change the body’s metabolism enough to clear the liver of fat, reduce the pain of arthritis, put diabetes into remission and improve polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) – small amounts of weight loss will generally not do this.

“The brilliant results in the individuals in the programme reflect the findings in published gold-standard clinical trials,” he added.

“Doctors, practice nurses and dietitians should now recognise that community-based, formula diet programmes like Cambridge Weight Plan could reduce the burden of weight-related health problems, improve quality of life and even reduce health-care costs, without increasing the work-load of NHS staff.”


•Professor Leeds and Cambridge Weight Plan consultants are available for interview.
Call Ruth Supple on 01536 403344 or 07894 411952 or Angela Bolton on 07841 478716 or email pr@cwp-uk.com

For more information about Cambridge Weight Plan, visit www.cambridgeweightplan.com

Picture captions:
Darren Donohue with his slimmer Father Paul Lomas
Father Paul Lomas after weight loss
Father Paul Lomas before weight loss


Notes to editors
•Cambridge Weight Plan was founded in 1984 as The Cambridge Diet and its products have been manufactured in Corby since 1986.

•In 2014, Cambridge Weight Plan Ltd became an employee-owned company.
•Cambridge Weight Plan offers a range of weight loss options, involving different combinations of its products and food.

•In the UK, the company sells and markets the Cambridge Weight Plan brand through independent Cambridge Weight Plan Consultants, who offer one-to-one support to guide slimmers through their weight loss and into weight maintenance.

•Worldwide, Cambridge Weight Plan is sold through an extensive distributor network and its products are exported to 30 countries.

•Cambridge Weight Plan total diet replacement programmes (TDRs) use formula food soups, shakes, bars and other foods, to replace conventional foods, thus giving a lower dietary energy intake than on a conventional reducing diet. Cambridge Weight Plan TDR foods are nutritionally complete, providing all protein, essential fat, vitamins and minerals needed.