The criteria for diagnosis of obesity is so often that of weight alone. It strikes me that a far more diverse diagnostic tool for such an emotive label is now required.

• Length of time of weight gain

• Attitudes and habits with food

• Amount of daily physical activity

• Recent incapacity leading to reduced physical activity

• Age in relationship to the menopause

• Type and amount of food normally consumed per day

The reason for my concern is that the label of 'Obesity' is such an emotive one. It can devastate and demotivate rather than inspire someone to change their ways.

She had a lovely figure, which she explained had filled out at the waistline a little as she had gone through the menopause. This of course is quite natural. On questioning, it was also discovered that this type of weight gain was a natural occurrence in her family. However, it had been exacerbated by the fact that some 18 months previously she had open heart surgery for an aortic valve problem.

I was amazed to discover that at a recent medical she had been told that her weight put her in the 'obese' category. This devastated her so much that she approached me for some guidance. One thing she was quite clear about was that she did not want to diet. This was very sensible on her part as anyone who diets is 3 times more likely to become obese or in this case make the weight issue worse.

This one word had quite devastated her confidence. The amazing thing was that no consideration had been taken into account for the fact of her ill health, past years of healthy exercise and eating habits or the effect that such a label would have on her self-esteem. She had just been advised to diet and lose the excess weight.

Scare tactics hardly ever work where it comes to excess weight issues. They can so easily drive people into habits that will lead to weight gain and not weight loss...

1. Comfort eating.

2. Dieting rather than healthy eating and increased exercise

3. Weight Cycling (yo-you dieting)

There is a need for us to tackle the weight gain of a nation but if we are to succeed in reducing the obesity epidemic we must first tackle the issue of weight loss motivation.