The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)

 

NICE’s current guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity is based on the best currently available evidence of effectiveness.

 

Current treatment options recommended by NICE in clinical guideline 43 include low-calorie diets (LCDs) and very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs).

 

Low-calorie diets may also be considered, but are less likely to be nutritionally complete.

 

The LighterLife Lite low-calorie diet  is nutritionally balanced, combining conventional food with nutritionally balanced formula foods to provide key nutrients.

 

Very-low-calorie diets may be used for a maximum of 12 weeks continuously, or intermittently with a low-calorie diet (for example for two to four days a week), by people who are obese and have reached a plateau in weight loss. Any diet of less than 600 kcal/day should be used only under clinical supervision.

 

The LighterLife Total very-low-calorie diet  is available for suitably obese patients following GP assessment, is clinically supervised and is followed for no more than 12 weeks continuously.

 

In the longer term, people should move towards eating a balanced diet, consistent with other healthy eating advice.

 

LighterLife’s weight-management stage  is based around healthy eating principles, according to national guidelines.

 

LighterLife’s weight-loss programmes offer patients the opportunity to use and develop behavioural-change techniques recommended by NICE, including:

  • Cognitive behavioural therapy  (CBT) techniques.
  • Self-monitoring of behaviour and progress, including goal setting and keeping a food and mood diary.
  • Strategies for preventing and coping with lapses and ‘high-risk’ situations.

 

Read more information on NICE guidelines regarding the treatment of obesity and their recommendation that the NHS should consider working with commercial weight-management programmes.

 

NICE, Obesity: guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children, clinical guideline 43, London Dec 2006.