Up! Up! Weight management service launched

27 April 2022

KHP is supporting a new programme specifically tailored for people of Black, African, and Caribbean heritage.

A new Tier 2 weight management programme specifically tailored for people of Black, African, and Caribbean heritage in Lewisham has been launched.

Up! Up! Living lighter the African and Caribbean way, is delivered over 12 weeks and focuses on physical activity, nutrition coaching, and cooking workshops.

Dr Louise Goff, Reader in Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London (KCL), led the project, working with Diabetes Africa, Food for Purpose, and Lewisham community groups. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (Guy's and St Thomas') is delivering the programme in partnership with Lewisham community organisations.

KHP Diabetes, Endocrinology and Obesity (DEO) provided project management support as the programme was developed.

Bernadette Adeyileka-Tracz, Executive Director of Diabetes Africa, says:

Up! Up! Is an energised, nonstandard programme for people of Black, Caribbean or African heritage who really want to change and improve their life for the better.

Joan Bailey, founder of the south London-based Queen’s Walking Group, which helped develop the programme, adds:

It’s about getting moving and being more in tune with your health, your wellbeing, your diet.

Early stages

The programme is funded by Lewisham Public Health, which commissioned KCL and Guy's and St Thomas' to work together with London Borough of Lewisham health commissioners and residents to co-produce a weight management service tailored for the borough’s Black-African and Black-Caribbean communities. Up!Up! logo

Analysis of Lewisham’s obesity services shows poorer outcomes for Black African and Black Caribbean communities in comparison with other ethnic groups.

Additionally, feedback from communities has indicated a perception that existing services are not ‘for them’, further highlighting the need for a tailored approach.

KCL and Guy's and St Thomas', as members of KHP, have a proven collaborative track record in developing and delivering tailored health interventions, including HEAL-D, a diabetes self-management education and support programme for African and Caribbean communities.

Structure

The weight management programme is structured as follows:

Promotion via primary and secondary care, and community and faith groups;
Following initial assessment, participants have a choice to enrol in face-to-face or virtual groups;
Groups of 12-15 participants will meet weekly for three months, commencing from April 2022;
Participants will be followed up at six and 12 months to provide ongoing support and collect longer term outcome data;
The content of the intervention will be tailored to Black-African and Black-Caribbean communities.

For more information contact gst-tr.up.up@nhs.net