Help with weight issues
Maintaining a healthy weight supports your overall health. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure that shows whether your weight is within a healthy range for your height.
You can find your BMI by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 means you are in the healthy weight range for your height. More information on BMI ranges and how to calculate it can be found on the NHS website.
How weight changes
Your weight is influenced by the balance between the calories you take in through food and drink and the calories you use through daily activity and bodily functions.
If you regularly consume more calories than your body uses, the extra calories are stored as fat and your weight may increase over time. If you regularly consume fewer calories than you use, you may lose weight.
Maintaining a stable weight means balancing what you eat with the energy you use each day. For more information on calories and healthy weight, visit the NHS understanding calories webpage.
Healthy habits
Two key ways to maintain a stable weight and improve your health are being more physically active and eating a nutritious and balanced diet.
You can find more advice on diet and physical activity on the NHS website:
Health risks linked to excess weight
Carrying excess weight increases the risk of:
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- stroke
- type 2 diabetes
- some types of cancer
- osteoarthritis
- back pain
Support for healthier choices
Making small lifestyle changes can help you start and maintain a weight loss journey. There are reliable sources of support and tools to guide you.
NHS Better Health has practical tools and information to help you make small changes that support your health and wellbeing. It includes a short online quiz that gives you a health score and links you to further advice based on your answers.
You can find guidance on:
- losing weight
- eating well
- getting active
- drinking less alcohol
- stopping smoking
Support for families
The NHS Change4life programme has ideas to help families become healthier, including food facts, activities and recipes.
NHS weight loss plan and fitness guidance
The NHS weight loss plan can help you lose weight safely, and there are many healthy eating diets to choose from. The online plan provides you with the information, help and support needed to lose weight and keep it off.
NHS Live Well explains what counts as different intensities of exercise and provides fitness guides and videos to help you get active at home.
Apps and tools
You can download apps and tools to help you manage and improve your health, and track your fitness. Examples include:
Understanding being underweight
Being underweight can also have health implications, such as:
- a weakened immune system
- fragile bones
- tiredness
Gaining weight should be a slow and steady process through a healthy balanced diet.
NHS Live Well provides further information and advice for people who are underweight, across all age groups.
Page last updated: 27 January 2026
