A ground-breaking pan-European research project to identify the key psychological and behavioural predictors of weight gain is making excellent progress thanks to the support of Slimming World.

So far more than 1400 Slimming World members have contributed to the five-year ‘Diet, Obesity and Genes’ project – otherwise known as ‘Diogenes’ – and final results are expected in 2010.

The programme involves a consortium of 34 partners across 14 countries in Europe, including world-class centres in diet and health studies, epidemiology, dietary genomics and food technology. 

Leading obesity researcher and Slimming World research specialist, Dr James Stubbs, who is co-ordinating the company’s involvement in the study, says: “The main objective of the Diogenes study is to assess the lifestyle and psycho-social aspects of food intake to develop software that will improve individual lifestyle solutions to weight management. This will ultimately make it easier to navigate to, and remain at, a healthy weight. 

“Participation in this project further strengthens Slimming World’s position at the cutting edge of weight management. The research will integrate studies of dietary, genetic, physiological and behavioural factors in weight management and aims to advance understanding into how obesity can be prevented and treated.”

For more information about Diogenes, visit their website at: www.diogenes-eu.org