Being overweight significantly impacts health. Not only can it increase the risk of heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, it can also cause debilitating issues in everyday life and lead to psychological problems, such as depression and low self-esteem.

Obesity is increasingly common due to our modern living. Now more than ever we can eat excessive amounts of high calorie takeaways, delivered directly to our doors, whilst sitting on the couch, probably after sitting at a desk all day for work. 

The NHS advises that the best way to combat obesity is to eat a healthy reduced calorie diet and exercise regularly.

Healthy eating is very important when managing weight. Some top tips include aiming for 2 or more portions of vegetables in your main meal, eating a portion of fish at least twice a week, keeping carbohydrates to wholegrain and no more than a third of the meal, and choosing small amounts of low fat spreads. It is also important to stay hydrated by drinking 6 to 8 cups of fluid a day, including water, tea and coffee.

Choosing a variety of different foods from each of the food groups helps get the wide range of nutrients into your body which we need to stay healthy. Unsaturated fats from plant sources (for example, vegetable oil or olive oil) are healthier types of fat.

The NHS suggests that on average, women should have around 2,000 calories a day and men should have around 2,500 calories a day. We all need different amounts of energy (or calories) from food to be a healthy weight.

Physical activity can improve health. People who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing many long-term conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and some cancers. Physical activity and exercise can have immediate and long-term health benefits. Most importantly, regular activity can improve the quality of life. Research shows it can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing stress.

Exercise can help burn calories by being active. The food eaten is stored in the body as fat to use as energy, which is used up when exercising. If you use up less energy than you take in, this fat builds up causing you to gain weight.