A £1.5 MILLION scheme said to be the first of its type in Wales was launched to tackle one of the country’s obesity hotspots.

The British Heart Foundation’s Hearty Lives programme is funding schemes across the county of Torfaen to help children and adults lead healthier lives.

It includes an ambitious intensive weight management programme, based at a clinic in Cwmbran, which aims to tackle obesity directly with a mixture of diet advice, psychological help and exercise regimes.

School children are also receiving extra help to avoid obesity through a classroom healthy living scheme.

The scheme was launched after Torfaen was named the second worst area in Britain for obesity in a 2008 survey.

Sian Bodman, lead nurse for diabetes with the Aneurin Bevan Health Board, said the typical person who gets referred to the adult weight management programme by their GP will have a body mass index of over 35 and a chronic health issue such as diabetes or coronary heart disease.

Morbidly obese people with a BMI of over 40, of which there are 2,800 in Torfaen, will also be referred.

The patient would first be assessed by a psychologist, an exercise instructor and a GP to look at their medical history and whether they are capable of taking part.

A programme, lasting 12-weeks, will then be written up for the participant, consisting of a specialised regime of exercise and help with managing their weight.

But the help doesn’t end there and the patient will continue to be see by the clinic throughout the course of the year.

Christopher Jones, 29, of Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, is one of the first 100 people to be referred to the scheme.

The Pizza-take away worker, who is 25 stone and is aiming to lose as much as seven, said he has been motivated to lose weight by his own family’s history of heart problems.

He said his eating habits have changed since he began the scheme, eating more regular meals as opposed to picking.

“I’m just eating a lot more healthy. No chips, no burgers, no pizza,” he said.

“The programme is excellent. It’s nice to see that there are people taking the time to help us."