Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs are to team up with Primary Care Trusts across the UK in a bid to halt rising obesity levels.

The move follows a successful pilot scheme with the Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust in south London in which 160 obese patients were referred by their NHS GP or nurse to the local Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club.

The patients were offered half price membership on 12 classes and 90 per cent of them lost weight, with a third losing more than five per cent of their body weight.

The aim of the pilot was to investigate whether the referral of overweight and obese patients to a commercial weight loss organisation was an effective way of tackling obesity for the NHS.

Monitored by a registered dietitian, the pilot was deemed so successful that leaders of the diet and fitness clubs for Merton and Sutton have since offered a discounted scheme to all 57 GP practice in the area.

“The most effective long term solution to weight loss is when dietary advice is coupled with regular exercise, which is why I started my clubs over 13 years ago,” said Rosemary Conley.