Weight Management and Mental Health: A framework for action in Wales

• Print this page
• Share this page
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
• Email this page

In Wales, obesity is one of the top three contributors to the loss of healthy years of life. Weight gain and obesity are major causes for the 7–25-year lower life expectancy for people with severe mental illnesses.

This is because obesity is linked to many chronic illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, which cost upwards of £700 million to the NHS in Wales each year.

We were delighted to commission the Public Mental Health Implementation Centre (PMHIC) to collaborate in developing 'Weight Management and Mental Health: A framework for action in Wales'. The framework was commissioned through our Dyfodol partnership with NHS Wales' Joint Commissioning Committee.

The framework identifies eight priority areas for action:

1. Provide leadership and direction to deliver healthy weight management support for people with mental health conditions.
2. Develop and implement targeted policies, strategies, pathways and support for healthy weight management for people with mental health conditions.
3. Identify people with mental health conditions who are at high risk of weight gain through screening and physical health checks and intervene early.
4. At a local level, be clear where weight management support is provided and increase understanding of roles that different professional groups can take in supporting healthy weight management.
5. Support delivery of a suite of evidence-based healthy weight management programmes.
6. Improve the provision of medication reviews for people using psychotropic medications that can cause weight gain.
7. Consider the broader context of healthy weight management, including the food environment, access to green space, and opportunity for safe physical activity.
8. Optimise the collection and use of data to evaluate the effectiveness of weight management approaches and measure outcomes.