WEIGHT loss camps will now be available through high street pharmacies in the latest bid to bust Britain’s gut.
People who need to slim down can sign up for the NHS’s official 12-week programme when they are shopping in town.
The scheme gives online or in-app weight loss advice for obese people with diabetes or high blood pressure and was previously only available through GPs.
One in four adults in England are seriously overweight and at higher risk of dying of Covid, cancer or a heart attack.
NHS England’s Dr Bruce Warner said: “The NHS’s radical action plan means it is now easier for people to take control of their health.
“Adults with obesity can now walk into any high street community pharmacy to take the first step on a life-changing weight loss journey.
“Obesity is a significant threat to the nation’s health – it increases your chance of dying from Covid and puts you at greater risk of stroke, cancer and other deadly disease.”
Family doctors have already referred more than 50,000 people to the programme and health chiefs hope opening it up will boost numbers.
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Every pharmacy in England has a medic trained to help people who want to lose weight.
Robert Pettifer, a pharmacist in Warwickshire, said: “It’s great that we can now refer people to this new weight loss programme.
“Trained pharmacy teams can support you on a journey to a healthier lifestyle using simple online plans.”
It comes after the Government launched a fresh crackdown on junk food in a post-Covid war on obesity.
Ministers announced a huge push last summer to improve the overall health of Brits in the wake of Covid – with the aim to prevent problems before they emerge.
One in six adults and more than one in three kids aged ten to 11 are overweight – with obesity a large risk factor in fighting the virus.
The number of kids admitted to hospital for obesity and related health conditions has quadrupled in the last yen years.
Obesity is linked to a reduction in life expectancy and is a risk factor for lots of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cancers and mental health issues.
Ads for junk food that have high fat, salt and sugar content will be restricted from April 2022.
TV adverts for unhealthy foods will be banned before 9pm, with a total ban online.
An extra £100 million funding is set to go into the Healthy Weight Strategy launched in 2020 – which supports families and kids to maintain a better weight.
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