Ford Joins Boots' "Know Your Figure" Campaign

9.30.19pm GMT Fri 18th Jan 2008

picture: Paul McCambridge, Press Eye

David Ford, has welcomed a new campaign from Boots the Chemist which aims to encourage people in Northern Ireland to take a new approach to their weight for the New Year.

The MLA visited Boots in Belfast, where he had a one-to-one healthy weight check consultation with Pharmacy Manager, Clarissa McSorley. The healthy weight check is one of the services available at Boots stores across Northern Ireland as part of Boots' unique New Year initiative, 'Change One Thing', 'Know Your Figure' campaign.

'Know Your Figure' is encouraging people to focus on the vital statistics of height, weight, Body Mass Index and percentage of body fat rather than dropping dress sizes, or counting pounds and inches.

To help consumers work out their new figures, Boots has installed Healthy Weight Check machines in 17 stores across Northern Ireland. The machines measure height and weight as well as calculating Body Mass Index (BMI) and percentage of body fat. The machines also provide recommendations for healthy weight loss targets, based on achieving a healthy BMI at a cost of 70p.

Boots' in-store pharmacists and healthcare teams are also available to offer practical support and advice as part of the campaign.

Welcoming the initiative, David Ford explained: "This campaign is a positive step forward in making people across Northern Ireland more aware of the health consequences of a poor diet and inactive lifestyle. Being overweight is a potentially very serious health issue, significantly increasing the risk of developing coronary heart disease and cancer - two of Northern Ireland's biggest killers. January is a good time for change and I would urge people to take part in the Know Your Figure campaign and get healthy in 2008. Politicians too know the risks of unhealthy lifestyles - that's why I'm involved!"

Boots' Belfast Pharmacy Manager, Clarissa McSorley explains the importance of the campaign: "While we do want people to lose weight, this campaign is also about encouraging people to think differently about their approach to their weight and health. There is a real danger that we focus on celebrity role models or being 'size zero', rather than taking a sensible, health focused approach to our weight which is right for the individual.

"We hope that by combining our accessible Healthy Weight Check machines with instore expert advice from local pharmacists, specially created literature and online resources, that we can help everyone in Northern Ireland get to know the figures that matter for healthy weight - and feeling great in 2008!"

Related Link:

Boots' Change One Thing.