Waistaway has helped over 1000 dieters gain medical benefit through pharmacist-led, non-medicated weight loss support and importantly at no cost to the NHS.
Gareth Evans, a community pharmacist has, for the last 17 years, offered a weight management service based upon the recognised NICE guidelines. Data from his pharmacy clinics in the east of England have shown dramatic results (mean weight losses of 10.1%), providing hundreds of people with medical benefit without the need for additional medication nor at a cost to the NHS.
This study proves pharmacy can take a critical healthcare professional role in weight management support, offering the NHS a route to potentially huge savings.
Extracts from the Abstract:
A greater than 5% reduction in weight has been shown to result in significant improvements in type II diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol levels…
A total of 1875 dieting sequences were recorded from 1023 dieters. In 1261 (67.3%) sequences, a medically beneficial weight loss of >5% was achieved…
The results from this long-term review demonstrate that… community pharmacies can make a significant contribution to reducing the obesity epidemic at no cost to state-funded health systems.
Abstract and Full Text : https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/8/1/22
PDF Version: https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/8/1/22/pdf
Positive Customer Impact
Mr M.G, a 55 year old male, treated for high blood pressure said “One things for sure, had I not been on the diet I'd have probably had a different outcome of the event that took me to the doctors and started the pathway to Papworth. A 100% life saver by diet.”
This patient put his survival of a heart attack firmly down to his successful 6 stone weight loss.
Mr M.G. has now undergone a heart bypass and has recovered well. The battle against his
chronic weight management issues remain but importantly we are getting there together.
Pharmacist Gareth Evans says “We hope this publication creates more action to give true weight loss the serious consideration it demands, by the government and healthcare sectors, and the public. Pharmacy is ideally placed to reduce the clinical and financial strain many “lifestyle” diseases cause the NHS, such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension.”
True weight loss is often not benign. Excess weight is implicated in many of our worst diseases, from type 2 diabetes to a number of cancers. It is essential to highlight and utilise pharmacy’s ability to work beyond the mantra of just eating less and exercising more, as shown in this study.
For more information, press only:
Gareth Evans MRPharmS
T: 01223 812 812 (Mon to Thurs)
T: 01780 781 616 (Fri)
T: 07841 451 476 (evening and weekends)
E: waistawayuk@gmail.com
For more information on the Waistaway pharmacy service: www.waistawayuk.co.uk
T: 0333 230 9204
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Type 2 diabetes costs our NHS about 10% of their budget, at around GBP 1.5m an hour.
Greater than 5% weight loss can reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes by around 50%.
According to Cancer Research UK, “obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer in the UK” and “more than 1 in 20 cancer cases are caused by excess weight.”
There are over 14,000 community pharmacies in Great Britain, over 1,000 of whom already offer similar weight management services.