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Teenagers in London sought for free weight management study

7 February 2011
Help logo - healthy eating and lifestyle programme

Researchers from University College London’s Institute of Child Health are seeking overweight teenagers between 13-17 years to take part in a free weight management programme in their community. Participants will be offered a free £40 iTunes voucher for taking part in the programme and all public transport expenses will be reimbursed.

The Healthy Eating Lifestyle Programme (HELP) encourages young people to gain control of their weight by increasing their self-confidence and motivation. HELP encourages young people to set their own goals and focus on why losing weight is important to them.  They are encouraged to think about how to achieve these goals in a friendly and supportive environment.  Young people and their parents meet a trained provider regularly over six months and learn how to make healthy food choices, increase activity, and think about any other issues that might contribute to overweight.

HELP has already shown promising results at the weight management clinic at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), helping young people get in charge of weight and improving their quality of life.  The programme is now being expanded beyond the hospital setting to communities across London.

Professor Russell Viner, Principal Investigator for the programme said: “Thousands of young people across London are known to struggle with their weight every day. Obesity can mean serious health risks for young people in both the short and long term.”
 
For more information on the programme and to see if you might be eligible, please visit the HELP website: www.helptrial.org.uk, contact Beth Bosiak (Trial Manager) on 0207 905 2317, contact Dr Lee Hudson (Clinical Research Fellow) on 0207 905 2722, or email helptrial@ich.ucl.ac.uk.

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Notes to editors

1. More information about the HELP study can be found at www.helptrial.org.uk
2. The HELP study has ethics and research and development approval. It also has National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) portfolio status and is funded by NIHR.
3. Dr Lee Hudson is available for interview about the study, via the Great Ormond Street Hospital press office.
4. National Child Measurement Programme: England, 2009/10 school year - Obesity prevalence varied by Strategic Health Authority (SHA) - http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/obesity/national-child-measurement-programme-england-2009-10-school-year
5. UCL Institute of Child Health, in collaboration with Great Ormond Street Hospital, is the largest centre for paediatric research outside the USA and plays a key role in training children’s health specialists for the future.
6. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), situated in the West End of London, is one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom and provides first-class acute and specialist services. The state-of-the-art University College Hospital which opened in 2005, is the focal point of the trust alongside five cutting-edge specialist hospitals. The Trust is committed to research and development and forms part of UCL Partners which in March 2009 was officially designated as one of the UK's first academic health science centres by the Department of Health. UCLH works closely with UCL, translating research into treatments for patients. www.uclh.nhs.uk

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust is the country’s leading centre for treating sick children, with the widest range of specialists under one roof.

With the UCL Institute of Child Health, we are the largest centre for paediatric research outside the US and play a key role in training children’s health specialists for the future.

Our charity needs to raise £50 million every year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, buy vital equipment and fund pioneering research. With your help we provide world class care to our very ill children and their families.

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