Stoke-on-Trent City Council (UK) will soon be sending encouraging text messages to obese citizens to encourage them to lose weight.
€ 12,000 spent on “motivational” text messages to obese residents of Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom). It is the initiative of the city council of the city to encourage them to eat and live in a healthier way. Every day, as part of an experiment, 500 city residents will receive text messages with tips to help them lose weight. The experience will run for 10 weeks. The objective: to fight against the obesity which is raging in the region. More than a quarter of the city’s adults are obese. Young people are also affected: 12% of 5-year-olds and 22% of 12-year-olds are affected.
The initiative does not only make people happy
“Why not walk to the stores more often? »,« Control your snacks and your drinks »… These messages of goodwill are not always well received by the population. Some opponents even accuse the city of wasting the city’s money. “It’s hard to see how texting can be anything other than tips and a ridiculous waste of money. Those trying to lose weight don’t need a boost from the board to tell them to exercise more. A simple post-it on the fridge door and the support of family and friends is a much better alternative, ”denounces Robert Oxley, campaign manager for the TaxPayers’ Alliance, the main opponent.
But this is a very real public health initiative, already applied by doctors across the country to support patients, but also through private coaching programs. Already in October 2013, an American study for WeightWatchers showed an 80% success rate. The 28 participants received messages with proposals for attitudes to lose weight, which they had to answer in the affirmative or in the negative.
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