Released on: May 19, 2010, 3:58 am
Author: Lighterlife
Industry: Healthcare
LighterLife has announced that it holds the secret to taking years off a person's looks, adding years to their life and how to feel 20 something for the rest of their days, and with the launch of the BMI4Life campaign it plans to let others in on the secret too.
The secret to not only looking younger and being healthy inside and out, amounts to three simple little words: Body Mass Index (BMI). Obesity reduces life expectancy on average by 11 years and is responsible for 9,000 premature deaths a year*, making reaching and maintaining a healthy BMI the key to living a long, healthy and vibrant life.
Maintaining a healthy BMI means that a 40 year old can look more youthful, feel like they're in their twenties and have more energy to do all the things they love - whether that's running around with the kids, spending more quality time with friends or just giving that special someone a little more attention.
75% of people don't realise what a healthy BMI is and a shocking 1.7million people are unaware that they have an unhealthy and potentially dangerous BMI.
Dr David Haslam, Chairman of The National Obesity Forum commented: "I see it with my overweight patients all the time: reducing BMI to a healthy level can lead to rapid health and social benefits. Even dropping it by one or two points can literally add years to your life and in some circumstances can actually lead to you feeling younger than your age. More importantly though, it takes pressure off your body's organs and helps the body to function as it should again."
LighterLife's BMI4Life campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of reaching and maintaining a healthy BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. The campaign which runs until the 23rd May is supported by The Stroke Association as obesity is a key risk factor in strokes, the second biggest killer in the UK.
As part of the campaign, LighterLife is encouraging people to visit the BMI4Life campaign and post a message of support. For every message posted LighterLife will donate £1 to The Stroke Association.
Sue Dover, Marketing Director LighterLife said, "It's a great concern that thousands of people out there don't really know that their health could be seriously affected by carrying extra weight and having an unhealthy BMI. BMI is a very important indicator of health but people just seem to ignore it. Whilst people may look relatively average, an unhealthy BMI runs the risk of seriously damaging their organs and outer appearance. We hope that the real health risks will galvanise the British people and encourage them to get more active, reduce their weight and lower their BMI to a healthy level".
Andrea Lane, Media Manager for The Stroke Association, said: "More people than you realise are at risk of having a stroke and being overweight can increase this risk. Carrying extra weight around the waist is particularly dangerous as it increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and some cancers threefold, that is why our message of BMI4Life is so important."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
About LighterLife:
LighterLife is an industry leader in weight management, with an established, highly successful approach to significant weight loss and lifetime weight management. Since 1996 LighterLife has helped over 200,000 people all over the UK and Ireland calculate BMI and then lose weight fast and keep it off.
Designed specifically for people who are one stone or more overweight and with a body mass index of 25 or above, the unique LighterLife approach offers programmes specific to the obese and the overweight using nutritionally balanced soups, shakes and bars combined with specialised counselling techniques. Clients benefit not only from rapid, safe weight loss but they also learn the behavioural changes needed to sustain it.
For further media information contact:
Lewis Miles
LighterLife PR manager
Resonate Communications Ltd
5th Floor
Holborn Gate
330 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7QG
0207 861 2525
http://www.lighterlife.com/