Slimming World is an English
weight loss
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health, or physical fitness, refers to a reduction of the total body mass, by a mean loss of fluid, body fat (adipose tissue), or lean mass (namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon, and other conn ...
organisation. It was founded in Derbyshire in 1969 by Margaret Miles-Bramwell, who remained its chairperson until her death on 2 February 2025.
Its focus is predominantly weight loss, and supports members to maintain a healthy weight once they reach their target. It operates through a network of 3,500 consultants across the country.
Slimming World offers an eating plan based on food
satiety
Satiety ( /səˈtaɪ.ə.ti/ ''sə-TYE-ə-tee'') is a state or condition of fullness gratified beyond the point of satisfaction, the opposite of hunger. Following satiation (meal termination), satiety is a feeling of fullness lasting until the next ...
and
energy density
In physics, energy density is the quotient between the amount of energy stored in a given system or contained in a given region of space and the volume of the system or region considered. Often only the ''useful'' or extractable energy is measure ...
as well as a group support service called IMAGE Therapy.
Company history
The company began in 1969 with a handful of groups in
Derbyshire
Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...
before expanding into
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
.
Slimming World launched its charity SMILES (Slimmers Making It a Little Easier for Someone) in 1997.
Slimming World publishes recipe books and directories for group members and launched ''Slimming World'' magazine in 1998.
In 2001, the company launched a referral scheme in which GPs could prescribe 12 weeks' attendance to patients wishing to lose weight. In 2011, a paper in the journal Obesity Facts showed patients attending at least 10 sessions achieved a clinically significant loss of 5% of their body weight.
Stubbs, J et al (2011). Weight Outcomes Audit for 34,271 Adults Referred to a Primary Care/Commercial Weight Management Partnership Scheme, Obesity Facts, 2011;4:113–120
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Diet
In its 2014 guidance, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care (United Kingdom), Department of Health and Social Care.
As the national health technolog ...
lists Slimming World alongside the Rosemary Conley and Weight Watchers programmes as being "effective at 12 to 18 months".physical activity
Physical activity is defined as any voluntary movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, 2009. World Health Organization. Geneva, Switzerland. Accessed 13/07/2018 ...
into their everyday routines. It introduces this gently with activities such as walking up stairs instead of taking the lift. Members get bronze, silver, gold and platinum awards as their activity levels increase, achieving platinum when they routinely exercise or undertake 30 minutes' activity five times weekly.[Inside Government - new activity guidelines (2011)](_blank)
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Slimming World works in partnership with the Royal College of Midwives and is the first national slimming organisation to support pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers to manage their weight healthily during pregnancy
Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestation, gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.
Conception (biology), Conception usually occurs ...
.[Royal College of Midwives - Media Centre](_blank)
/ref> Its policy was written in collaboration with the college and mothers take part with the consent of their midwife.
See also
*Dieting
Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated way to decrease, maintain, or increase body weight, or to prevent and treat diseases such as diabetes and obesity. As weight loss depends on calorie intake, List of diets, different kinds of ...
*List of diets
An individual's Diet (nutrition), diet is the sum of food and drink that one habitually consumes. Dieting is the practice of attempting to achieve or maintain a certain weight through diet. People's dietary choices are often affected by a variet ...
References
{{Authority control
Brand name diet products
Health care companies established in 1969
Companies based in Derbyshire
Food manufacturers of the United Kingdom
1969 establishments in England