Can the DoH think outside the box when it comes to combating obesity?

Kay Illingworth, Managing Director, Trade Diet Plate Ltd

Grandma and suck eggs springs to mind as I start to write this, however, if we could shave more than just a few million off the cost of treating Type 2 Diabetes – would you be prepared to discuss it?

It has to be said that cash strapped PCT’s and councils face the high cost and dilemma of the UK’s ever increasing waistline and the co-morbidities they will need to administer, such as heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, diabetes, liver and kidney disorders, not to mention mental health and depression. Millions of pounds of tax payer’s money is, and has been spent, trying to combat the problem through public awareness campaigns and changing people’s attitudes towards how they eat and their perception of nutrition.

Theoretically all highly commendable but still we are reliant on those people governing their own calorie intake through a position of knowledge, being able to follow an old fashioned written diet provided by their GP or hospital, or the affordability of a health and fitness or traditional slimming club.



As a company at the coal face, we have continual communication with those trying to make a difference to their lifestyles and in doing so hear many anecdotal stories, about how people gain weight and how well they are doing at losing it, we hear the despair in their stories, we hear the excuses, and we see the results when they succeed even with the morbidly obese!

Consider how much budget is spent, just on one aspect of obesity related co-morbidities, such as Type 2 Diabetes?

Diabetes UK has summarised these costs as follows:
• £5 billion per year (based on year 2000 figures)
• £100 million per week
• £14 million per day
• £600,000 per hour
• £165 per second!

How many diabetics are there in the UK? Current figures suggest 2.3 million, with a further 1 million undiagnosed with the disease.

Imagine if every diabetic had their own special Diet Plate Weight management Solution to use daily, which helped them to lose weight, educate them, rebalance their nutritional requirements to a healthy diet and helped control their blood sugars, improve blood pressure, liver and kidney function. A solution that empowered them in their own home, giving them control over their diet and with free access to a support group to help them use it. What would be the impact on the figures estimated by Diabetes UK if the clinical trial figures were reflected?

2.3 million Diabetic’s at under £10 per person, £23 million total spend, and if the clinical trial result is reflected, it could be argued that up to a third of diabetics will experience stabilised blood sugars, less medication, less complications, more weight loss and other health benefits?

DIET PLATE “The Easier Option”

The Diet Plate® complete weight management solution offers a tangible and most cost effective way to manage obesity with patients who live with, or without T2D, supported directly in their home and with little supervision!

We offer a range of portion control plates and bowls made from fine earthenware or melamine that have been clinically proven to help control Type 2 Diabetes, published Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1277-1283. Please visit The BBC article for an overview of the trial results.

The Diet Plate® was created in 1995 and first appeared on the market in 2000, with over 175,000 plates sold and distribution set to start in several countries, the Diet Plate is acknowledged as an ingenious, yet simple creation that when followed, delivers exactly what it says on the label.

The Diet Plate® offers a most cost effective for distribution right to the patient, a tried and tested solution, a one off, robust and reusable purchase that will last the patient for as long as it is needed. We all eat off plates, TDP® is a calibrated set of dinnerware, that when followed gives the patient a calorie controlled diet via diet sized measured portions. It is non-dictatorial so the user is completely in control and empowered with one simple rule, which is, “don’t serve the food outside the lines.” It comes with a 40 page booklet with full instructions and the patient can join our Club Diet Plate forums for free to get encouragement and support and results can be remarkable – prices starting from less than £10 per patient.