Christine backing campaign to help manage weight

AN 18-STONE Plymouth mother who entered an obesity clinic to curb health problems has urged others to take control of their weight, writes Health Reporter Diana Prince .

Christine Wooldridge, aged 58, was classed as 'morbidly obese' – having a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more – when she started the classes.

She said her weight has contributed to conditions including diabetes as well as higher blood pressure and cholesterol.

The mother of three, from Stonehouse, started the NHS-run weight-management clinic at Brickfields, Devonport, this summer.

She said: "This is a pivotal point for me. I'm coming up to 60 and the health risks are there. I want to lessen those risks.

"My GP said if I lose weight my health problems will be easier to control. Everything will be that much better."

A former Slimming World consultant, Christine spoke to The Herald to support the local and national Government campaign to encourage people to manage their weight.

She said becoming healthier is about personal responsibility, urging people to take control and seek help if they think they have a problem.

When she started the 16-week weight management course at the Brickfields in June, she weighed 18 stone 10 pounds and had a BMI of 45.

She has lost 11 pounds and is determined to lose more.

Christine said she has been overweight since she was a child, with her weight fluctuating in her teens and 20s.

She said put on weight after having her two daughters and son in the 1970s, and got 'really large' after suffering from severe migraines, known as 'thunderclap headaches', after 1993.

She joined Slimming World in 1995 and became a consultant in 1996, keeping her weight 'under control' until she left in 2006.

After that, her weight 'crept up' until she went to see her GP earlier this year and they agreed the Devonport clinic could help.

Christine said she knew about nutrition and healthy living, but the clinic gave her the extra support she needed to lose weight.

She said: "The clinic pushes the right buttons, it touches on everything. For me it's about doing more exercise and portion control rather than what I eat.

"I feel I'm getting support, encouragement and enthusiasm, from the people running the course and the group."

After completing the course, which covers a range of issues including diet, exercise and psychology, she will attend monthly meetings for two years.

Since it was launched two years ago, more than 200 very overweight and obese people have undertaken the course.