Why your weight matters

While most people don’t like the way they look when they're carrying excess weight, a healthy weight isn’t just about looking better: it's much healthier too.
People who are overweight are at greater risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and certain cancers.
Obesity causes 9,000 premature deaths in England every year, and on average reduces life expectancy by nine years.
So what’s causing this epidemic? Only a tiny minority of people (fewer than one in 100) are overweight because of medical conditions. Most overweight people can blame their excess weight on eating more calories than they burn. You can learn more in Understanding calories.
That means there are two main options if you want to lose weight: eat less or do more exercise. The best way to lose weight is to do a combination of the two.
What you can do

The good news is that you can help reduce your risk of obesity-related health problems by losing weight, through eating more healthily and taking more exercise.
You can find a range of articles to help you achieve a healthy weight in the Lose weight section of NHS Choices.
And there's lots of information and advice on healthy eating in Food and diet.
Learn the basics of a healthy, balanced diet in Eight tips for healthy eating.
It’s not just small changes to your eating habits that can make a big difference. Getting more exercise also helps you to shed the pounds. Adults between 19 and 64 should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity – such as fast walking or cycling – every week, and those who are overweight are likely to need more in order to lose weight. Learn more in Physical activity guidelines for adults.
Even if you're well on the way towards your target weight, there are always danger zones that leave you tempted to overindulge. See our tips on how to avoid the Diet danger zones.
A common excuse for choosing a fat-laden, quick-fix supper is that healthy eating is expensive, but don’t be fooled. See how to save pennies as well as calories in Eat well on the cheap.
Two-thirds of dieters regain all the weight they've lost within four years. For advice on how to stop piling back on the pounds, read Keep weight off.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/Whyyourweightmatters.aspx