I have battled with my weight most of my life – but I’ve only just discovered what truly works

As new figures reveal that Britain is bigger than ever, Isabel Mohan reflects on a lifetime of trying to slim down and why being told to diet and exercise more has always failed – until now

Isabel Mohan has spent her life trying to lose weight - but once she stopped feeling shame about her body everything else followed (Isabel Mohan )

You were such a good baby,” my mum always tells me. The surprise third child, born late and chubby, and nicknamed “the Michelin baby” by my much older, slimmer siblings, I ate well, slept well and usually had a smile on my face, oblivious to my future as an obesity statistic.

Forty-two years on, I haven’t changed much – but I’ve found that those habits formed as a bouncing baby don’t get quite so much praise as an adult. New statistics indicate that Britain’s weight problem is costing £98bn a year due to its impact on both health and productivity – and as someone who’s always struggled with their weight, it’s hard not to feel ashamed.

Shame is what you feel when you are overweight, and it is something I have felt my whole life. And yes, I know my body is ultimately my responsibility – but the society we live in doesn’t make it easy to be healthy. And I’m not just talking about junk food here – the real barrier to a healthier nation is the hatred overweight people experience every day. We are demonised, dismissed, mocked and seen as a different species; a greedy, lazy, repulsive one; an embarrassing problem that needs to be solved.