Why a healthy weight matters
Being a healthy weight is important at every age. If you are overweight, it can increase your risk of serious health problems like:
- Cancer
- Type 2 diabetes
- Stroke
- Heart disease
It can also shorten your life. Making good choices about food and staying active from a young age, and keeping those habits as you grow, helps you stay at a healthy weight.
What about fad diets?
Fad diets might seem like a quick fix, but they don’t work in the long run. They can even lead to more weight gain later. The best way to stay a healthy weight is to:
- Eat a balanced diet
- Be active regularly
What is BMI?
BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It’s a way to check if your weight is healthy by using your height and weight. Check your BMI using the NHS online BMI calculator. Further information can be found on the NHS Better Health website.
Losing weight
If you don’t qualify for free weight loss programmes, there are still services in Portsmouth that can help. These services give you advice on:
- Eating healthier
- Being more active
- Losing weight safely
- Keeping the weight off
Eating well
Many of us eat more fast food and ready meals than we used to. But if we keep going this way, 9 out of 10 children could grow up with too much fat in their bodies. This puts them at risk of serious health problems later in life. In England, nearly 2 out of 3 adults are overweight or obese. That’s why it’s so important for everyone to eat well and move more. We have advice and support for:
Each page has details on how to get help and what services are available.
What the NHS says
The NHS Live Well pages include:
- Eight simple steps to a healthy life
- Why fad diets don’t work
- How to eat a balanced diet with all the main food groups
Being active
Eating well is important but so is being active. Our getting active page gives more info on being active, exercise and local initiatives to get involved in. The Change 4 Life site has much more on healthy diets and being active.