A new weight management programme to help participants break the 'yo-yo' cycle of short term diets will be launched across North Country Leisure centres in September 2012.

The first 13 week course will start week commencing Monday 17th September at Willowburn Sports and Leisure Centre (Alnwick), Prudhoe Waterworld, Wentworth Leisure Centre (Hexham), Penrith Leisure Centre, Appleby Leisure Centre and Whitehaven Sports Centre, with plans to run more courses in the future.

The Momenta Programme has been created by weight management experts MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition…Do It!) to help people with busy lives lose weight and keep it off for good and will be available to adults who are interested in losing weight and getting fitter and healthier throughout 2012. The first course will be free to existing fitness and swim members and £36.00 for the complete course for non-members.

In an enjoyable and friendly group environment, participants will meet for one hour per week and learn a range of easy-to-use, proven techniques, to help them understand and apply the key elements required to lose weight successfully, including nutrition, physical activity and psychology. They will also learn about the key factors that contribute to weight gain and why so many methods of 'dieting' fail in the long term.

NCL Board member, Professor of Nutrition and Registered Dietician Professor Paula Moynihan says, "Combining a healthier eating pattern with regular exercise is the best way to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight and the Momenta programme helps and supports people to make these changes to their lifestyle."

GP and NCL Board Member Natasha Dykins says: "The World Health Organisation has described the increase in obesity worldwide as a 'global epidemic'. In the North of England more than 60 per cent of men and women are classed as overweight. Being overweight is a major risk factor for chronic health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, musculoskeletal diseases and some cancers.

"The British Medical Journal has recently published a UK based study which showed that 12 week programmes of weight management can result in clinically useful amounts of weight loss that are sustained at one year. I believe that the Momenta weight management programme, which has been developed based on the evidence and good practice associated with the MEND children's programme, will prove to be a valuable service to our local population."