Jim is an adult living with obesity and has a learning disability. In this story, Jim describes what he is doing and what changes services can make to support him better.
Pressure to lose weight
“There is pressure on you to lose weight, models with perfect bodies, clothes sizes being small. I have tried to lose weight before through reading books and looking online, but I found it difficult so I did it off my own back. To be healthier I have been eating more fruit and walking more.
“It can be hard to make healthy choices, the gym is expensive and I can’t afford to go. Supermarket deals and the price of low-fat foods also make it difficult as well as the media. Information is often long winded and confusing.
Someone to talk to
“I think we need health care professionals to provide more accessible information, to work together with the person to come up with an action plan and set goals. Living with obesity and trying to be healthier can be a lot of pressure, I think it would be good to have someone to talk to when I am finding things hard. I also think having role models, more public speaking from people with a learning disability who live with obesity is important, to change people’s attitudes and reduce bullying of people who are overweight.”