Consumer association, Which?, has said that five volunteers it sent to request advice on losing weight from their local gyms mostly received poor quality consultations with instructors failing to properly assess their physical condition.

Four of the five volunteers – whose cases were examined by Sue Baic, registered dietician and lecturer in nutrition at Bristol University and Dr Cath Sanderson, lecturer in sports nutrition and exercise science at Leeds Metropolitan University – were set inappropriate goals, given poor dietary advice and scant arrangements for future support.

Instructors also advocated what Baic and Sanderson called ‘junk science’ weight-loss methods, including cutting out carbohydrates and the blood-group diet.

Only one of the five instructors – at a gym within a Marriott hotel, was rated excellent by Baic and Sanderson, with the rest, including instructors at three national chains, being slammed as poor or very poor.

Which? also called 32 independent gyms and local authorities as well as the top 10 gym chains in the UK to find out if instructors giving weight-loss information were qualified to do so and claimed that many did not hold the necessary level 3 qualifications.

Nigel Wallace, executive director of the FIA, said: “Health and fitness clubs and leisure centres have an important role to play in getting more people more active more often and encouraging them to lead an active life.

“Many clubs and centres have expanded their services with some now starting to offer nutritional and weight-management advice.

“Maintaining a healthy weight is about balancing what goes in with what goes out. It seems logical to be able to get advice about those in the same place. However, it is essential that those offering advice are appropriately qualified.

“The FIA strongly supports the moves made by the REPs to include training, about diet and weight management in advance fitness instructor qualifications.

It is essential that, as an industry, we continue to offer high levels of professionalism and demonstrate that our members are in safe, well-qualified hands.” Details: www.which.com