Health professionals can help you reduce the risks of being overweight

Your doctor and other healthcare professionals such as dieticians, nurses, exercise physiologists and behavioural therapists will understand only too well the health risks of being obese or overweight. The good news is the benefits of losing even a small amount of weight, for example 5–10% of your total body weight, can reduce your risk of developing:

• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Type 2 diabetes
• Stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases
• Some cancers
• Sleep problems such as sleep apnoea
• Osteoarthritis
• Depression
• Fertility problems

Losing weight will not only help you feel better and improve your quality of life, it can also increase your life expectancy. Healthcare professionals are here to support you in your weight loss goals and to help you reduce your health risks.