Opportunities to improve peoples health and happiness is coming back with face-to-face Slimming World groups.

It has been one of the hardest challenging 15 months for the whole world and everyone has been affected by the pandemic in some way.

This can have a real effect on mental health and stress. In April, the country embraced stress awareness month. Stress hasn't just affected adults but teenagers and younger children too.

Denise Broughton, Slimming World consultant and area manager, explained: "It has never been more important to look out for others. But stress can affect us all in different ways. Some people comfort eat, while others have no appetite at all. Some will increase smoking habits, others drink higher units of alcohol.

"This all has a knock-on effect on our health. People who have stress and anxiety over long periods of time may experience negative related health problems. They are more likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and may even develop depression and panic disorder."

Stress and anxiety is a treatable condition and there are many resources, strategies and treatments that can help, many that your local Slimming World consultant can help you with.

"Eating a balanced, healthy diet and getting regular exercise, talking to others and recognising the facts that trigger your stress are all discussed in Slimming World groups weekly," added Mrs Broughton.

"Slimming World has more than 50 years experience helping millions of people lose weight, backed by the latest scientific thinking, research by the best scientist and the deep understanding of what drives our behaviour around food and drink, this is the psychological side of slimming.

"Each and every Slimming World Consultant knows and has felt how painful it is to feel the burden of excess weight. We understand too the equal misery of being hungry and being deprived of your favourite foods, especially if you are forced to eat separate meals from the rest of the family.

"You don’t have to do a tremendous amount of activity for you to make progress and get closer to the active person you’d love to be. It doesn’t matter where you are on the activity pathway or when you start. The important thing is to start. Moving around more, even if it’s just five minutes per day to start with, will use up energy and start to bring your stress levels down as well as other benefits.

"One member has just completed the NHS couch 2 5k app, this is an app that you can download to your phone and it coaches you week by week to be able to run 5k in 9 weeks. The app is very motivational."

All Slimming World groups are now open and running a venue and virtual service. As restrictions ease it is hoped classes will resume Monday.