ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests ways in which, should resources allow, individuals can be helped to manage their weight. It presents the possible ways of supporting people to maintain their weight as well as to effect weight loss and weight loss maintenance. At an individual level, this means we need to concentrate on two types of person: the one who is not yet overweight but may become so and the one who is already overweight and obese. In many cases women are interested in weight loss for the benefits of appearance, of easier to purchase and better fitting clothes, and of improved self-esteem and attractiveness. Men often respond very differently to women when faced with the challenge of excess weight. For occupational health practitioners, there may be opportunities to motivate people to adopt a healthy lifestyle during the course of consultations – statutory health surveillance or sickness absence reviews – rather than in a formal weight loss programme.
