The Recipe for Tackling Male Obesity

These show that fewer men join weight loss programmes than women, but they are more likely to stick with them.  It also highlights that men prefer the use of simple ‘business-like’ language, welcome humour used sensitively, and benefit from the moral support of other men in strategies to tackle obesity.

These are some of the findings in a new report which suggests that, if weight loss programmes were specifically designed for men, these might be more effective at helping them to lose weight.  Researchers from the Universities of Aberdeen, Bournemouth and Stirling analysed evidence from around the world, and the team particularly investigated what would make services more appealing to men.

From their systematic review of the evidence on obesity management, published by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme, researchers also found:

• Cutting calories, together with exercise and following advice on changing behaviour, is the best way for obese men to shed pounds.  This can also help to reduce the risk of health problems such as type 2 diabetes.
• Obese men who eat less lose more weight than those who take more exercise but don’t eat less.
• In the long term, one calorie-reducing diet has not yet been found to be better than another for weight loss for men.
• Middle-aged men are motivated to lose weight once they perceive they have a health problem they want to tackle.
• A desire to improve personal appearance without looking too thin is also a motivator for weight loss in men.
• Men are likely to prefer weight-loss programmes delivered by the NHS rather than those run commercially.
• Group-based weight management programmes run only for men provide moral support.
• Obesity interventions in sports clubs, such as football clubs, have been very effective, with low dropout rates and very positive responses from men.

View the launch press release at: www.mhfi.org/obesitystudy.pdf and the full report on the study at: www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hta/volume-18/issue-35  The Men's Health Forum in Ireland was delighted to be able to play a supporting role in this research.