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June's weight has fluctuated since her teens. For June, weight gain is emotionally driven, and food is a source of comfort, as well as a treat or reward. June has learnt lots from the weight loss programs she has done in the past, but finds it hard to maintain these behaviors in the long-term. June hopes to lose weight in the future to improve her health as well as her confidence.
June is 70 and has 1 adult son. She is white British.
Jane has lost and gained weight several times over the years, but found that since having her child, losing weight was more difficult. However, Jane was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, which motivated her to lose weight in order to manage her conditions. Although her busy lifestyle makes this difficult, Jane has started to do this through making small changes to her diet and being more active. So far, she has lost one stone.
Jane is 42 and lives with her partner and child. She is a support worker, and is Mauritian.
Joan gained weight drastically at 39 after suffering health problems, including hyperthyroidism and Sjogren's disease, as well as a period of caring for her mother. Joan was also diagnosed with osteoarthritis, and found she was unable to do many of the activities she did before. After her weight reached over 20 stone, Joan decided to lose weight through an NHS weight management program. Approaching her diet as a lifestyle chang, Joan has lost over 6 stone in a year and a half. Joan hopes to continue to lose weight for health reasons.
Joan is 57, and before giving up work for health reasons, worked as a community psychiatric nurse. She is white Scottish.
Ellie put on weight after the birth of her son. Since then, there have been times she has lost weight, but she has always gained this again. Ellie was recently diagnosed with sleep apnoea and type 2 diabetes. Although she received little professional support around managing this, Ellie was motivated to change her lifestyle in order to control her condition. Through changing her diet and becoming more active, Ellie lost 4 stone over a year. However, after breaking her shoulder, Ellie put some of this weight back on. Ellie now hopes to lose weight to improve her health.
Ellie is 69, and is married with 1 adult son. Before retirement, Ellie worked as a travel agent. She is white British.
Jim was encouraged to lose weight by a nurse after being diagnosed with several health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and atrial fibrillation. Jim joined a weight management group and made changes to his diet, losing 2 stone over 6 months. However, Jim found this affected his mood, and stopped following the program. Jim has since put on some of this weight, in spite of maintaining a good diet and exercise regime. Jim is now maintaining weight at around 79 kilos and would like to reduce this to 77 kilos in the next two months.
Jim is 71, and is married. He is now retired, but previously worked in the military, before starting his own education business. Jim is white British.
Lina has always been a healthy weight. However, from her late 30s she became ill with several health conditions, including asthma, fibromyalgia, a brain tumour, and type 2 diabetes. Lina was given medications to stabilise her conditions, but gained weight rapidly. Lina has made changes to her diet to manage this, and continues to be proactive in seeking support around her health, and committed to staying active where possible.
Lina is 49 and has three children, aged 11, 24 and 29. Due to her health conditions, Lina is not currently in employment, but previously worked in retail. Lina is...
Lesley put on weight over time, but was told to change her lifestyle after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest at 58. Lesley cut out alcohol, increased her exercise, and changed her diet, losing 10 kilos in 6 months. However, Lesley has since gained this back. Her weight is now stable by maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regime. Lesley feels her inability to lose weight may be because of her medication. Although her doctors have been reluctant to change this, she plans to raise this issue again as she feels losing weight would make her look and feel better.
Lesley is 60 and works part time in an administrative role. She is married with 2 adult children, and is white British.
Paul has always been fairly bi, but was motivated to lose weight after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea. Paul lost 15 kilos through exercise, but after a stressful period in his life put some of this on again. Paul has found losing weight harder as he has gotten older. He feels healthcare professionals should be more direct in encouraging individuals to lose weight, and should offer more personalised advice on how to do this.
Paul is 55 and runs a B&B. He is white British.
Julie gained weight slowly over time, which she became aware of after retirement. Motivated to manage her diabetes and her stomach problems, Julie reduced her carbohydrates, fats and dairy. Julie has lost weight gradually, and feels more confident and mobile. Although she has not received support from healthcare professionals around her weight, Julie encourages doctors to tailor their advice to the individual, considering health and lifestyle factors.
Julie is 73 and is a retired events organiser. She has 1 adult child, and is white British.
Christine started gaining weight in early adulthood. She had complications with diabetes in pregnancy, but was determined to manage this through diet. Since then, Christine's weight has fluctuated, and is particularly influenced by her mental health. Christine hopes to lose weight in the future to improve her self-esteem.
Christine is 53 and is an electrical testing engineer. She is married with 3 children, and is white British.
