Slimming World

Type

Private

Founded

1969

Headquart
ers

Alfreton, Derbyshire
England

Key people Margaret MilesBramwell (Chairman)

Products

Weight loss

Number of
employees

250 (head office/field

management), 3,500
(consultants)[1]

Slogan

"because you're
amazing"

Website

www.slimmingworld.co
m

Slimming World is a UK-based weight loss organisation.

Slimming World's members follow a 'Food Optimising' eating plan, take
moderate activity through its 'Body Magic' programme, and have group support
through shared experience with other slimmers to encourage behaviour change,
called IMAGE Therapy. Slimming World's eating plan is based on the science of
satiety (the satisfying qualities of food) and energy density. Foods that satisfy the
appetite and are low in energy density, such as fruit and vegetables, pasta,
potatoes, fish and lean meat, are called 'Free Foods' and can be eaten without
weighing, counting or measuring. Foods which are often banned on other weightloss plans, are allowed within Food Optimising, and these are controlled by a "Syns"
counting system.
Slimming World's 'IMAGE' (Individual Motivation And Group Experience) Therapy
group support system uses elements of Transactional Analysis, Motivational
Interviewing, influence of ego states on behaviour and more recently

Compassionate Mind Theory. During the hour-long group support session, members
share their experiences of the preceding week, discuss their weight losses or gains,
and share ideas and strategies for the week ahead. Members share practical advice
such as recipe suggestions, as well as strategies to cope with times when
motivation is low. At group, members are weighed and their weight change is
shared with the group. A member's actual weight is confidential, and is not revealed
to the group.
Slimming World was founded in Derbyshire in 1969 by Margaret Miles-Bramwell,
who remains its chairman. Caryl Richards has been managing director of the
company since 2001.
Contents
Company history

Previous logo, 2007-2009

The company began in 1969 with a handful of groups in Derbyshire and expanded
into Yorkshire. By the 1980s, Slimming World had 700 classes in the UK and by 2012
there were over 10,000 groups, making it the largest slimming club in the UK
and Ireland.
Slimming World's charity, 'SMILES', was launched in 1997. SMILES stands for
"Slimmers Making It a Little Easier for Someone", and since 1997 it has raised more
than 2,500,000 for charity.
Slimming World magazine was launched in 1998. In 2013 sales exceeded 447,000
per issue. Slimming World also publishes a range of recipe books and directories
available to members in group.
In 2001, Slimming World pioneered 'Slimming World on Referral' in the UK,whereby
GPs can 'prescribe' attendance of a group for 12 weeks. In 2011, a paper published
in the journal Obesity Facts showed that patients attending at least 10 out of 12
sessions achieved a clinically significant weight loss of 5% of their body
weight. Slimming World works with around 60 health authorities and, by April 2011,
in excess of 100,000 people had used the scheme.
In 2003 Slimming World launched a programme for 11- to 15-year-olds. Through the
'Family Affair' programme, children between the ages of 11 and 15 can attend
Slimming World if accompanied by their parent or guardian and with the permission
of their GP. They follow a special eating plan called Free2Go, which encourages

them to make healthy swaps, such as replacing high fat foods with healthier
alternatives. The focus of the programme is on healthy eating rather than weight
loss.
An online weight loss programme was launched in 2004, offering a service to
slimmers who do not attend a group. Originally called bodyOptimise it was renamed
as Slimming World Online in 2011. The services offered by Slimming World Online
mirror those supplied by a group.
Diet overview
Efficacy
A comparative study of 2011 found that, in common with some other weight loss
programmes used in primary care, Slimming World's regime did not help people
achieve weight loss any better than increasing exercise levels alone.
Food Optimising plan
Slimming World states its eating plan, 'Food Optimising', is a "flexible, empowering,
permissive approach to healthy eating". There is little or no weighing and measuring
and nocalorie counting involved. Food Optimising encourages slimmers to fill up on
nutritious, low energy dense foods to satisfy their appetite, while limiting
consumption of less satisfying, high energy dense foods. Unique to food optimising
is the unlimited choice of many 'free foods' which can include
lean meat, fish and poultry, pasta, rice and grains,vegetables, including potatoes,
and fruit, all of which may be eaten freely, without weighing or measuring. To help
ensure a balanced diet, daily portions of 'healthy extras' are permitted,
including bread, cereals, cheese and milk. Finally, controlled portions of higher
calorie, less filling foods are included, such as crisps, wine, chocolate and sauces. In
Food Optimising these are called "Syns". Most adults have a daily "Syn allowance"
of between 5 and 15 "syns".
Food Optimising has a variety of plans, which may be followed on a daily basis as
the slimmer chooses and is suitable for all types of dietary preferences, including
vegetarian and vegan. No food is banned.

'Extra Easy plan': Free Foods include most fruit and vegetables, fish, lean
meat and poultry and eggs, pasta, potatoes, grains and beans. Healthy extras
include bread, cereals, cheese and milk.

'Original plan': Free Foods include most fruit and vegetables, fish, lean meat
and poultry and eggs. Healthy extras include bread, cereals, cheese, milk
and carbohydratessuch as wholewheat pasta, potatoes, grains and beans.

'Green plan': Ideal for vegetarians, Free Foods include most fruit and
vegetables, pasta, rice, potatoes, grains and eggs. Healthy extras include

bread, cereals, cheese, milk, nuts & seeds, and protein such as lean meat,
poultry and fish.
Physical activity
Slimming World encourages members to introduce physical activity into their daily
lives through its 'Body Magic' programme. The emphasis is on introducing activity
gently at first, such as getting off the bus a stop early a couple of times a week, or
walking up two flights of steps instead of taking the lift occasionally, then on finding
forms of activity which can be integrated into everyday life. Members
achieve bronze, silver, gold and platinum 'Body Magic' awards. Platinum is achieved
when members are routinely active/exercising five times a week for thirty minutes
at a time. This is in line with Government activity guidelines. Slimming World has
signed up to the Department of Health's Public Health Responsibility Deal and has
pledged to encourage its members to build activity into their daily routine. Since
2011, Slimming World has supported more than 150,000 people to become more
active.
Group support
The support of the consultant and other members is an important part of Slimming
World's methods. When a member is losing weight successfully they receive praise
and inspire the rest of the group to do well; when they are struggling to lose weight,
they have support and practical advice from the group to help them get back on
track. Motivation of members is regenerated each week at the group, and Slimming
World believe the level of compassion, respect and care shown to members is a key
part of the member's success.
The support continues outside the group via contact and support from the
consultant, other members and through the website, 'LifelineOnline' and a free
members Smartphone app. The website contains an online "syn-check", recipe
ideas and support.
Health and pregnancy
Slimming World works in partnership with the Royal College of Midwives and is the
first national slimming organisation to support pregnant and breastfeeding mums to
manage their weight healthily during pregnancy. It states that its pregnancy
programme is designed to ensure that mums-to-be and breastfeeding mothers can
continue to manage their weight, with the consent of their midwife. Slimming
World's pregnancy policy was devised in collaboration with the Royal College of
Midwives.