On this page:
Am I overweight?
What weight should I be?
How can I lose weight?
Find out more

Being overweight increases your risk of having a stroke. So it's very important to try to maintain a healthy weight.

Am I overweight?

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of many health conditions, including high
cholesterol, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It can lead to your arteries becoming narrowed and clogged up (atherosclerosis). All these things can increase your risk of a stroke.

It's not just how much weight you carry, but how you carry it as well. If you carry extra weight around your waist, you may be more likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes or other health problems. So it's even more important to make sure you're a healthy weight.

What weight should I be?

Checking your body mass index (BMI) can be a good indication if you're a healthy weight. It takes into account that people come in different shapes and sizes, by comparing your weight against your height.

The NHS has more information on BMI and a BMI calculator that can help you work out your BMI.

A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. The NHS advises people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean family backgrounds should aim for a lower BMI of under 23. This is because people from these backgrounds have a higher risk of developing certain health problems at a lower BMI.

The website also has a tool to calculate your waist-to-height ratio. This can help you understand if you’re carrying excess fat around your waist, which is linked to health problems including type 2 diabetes.

Contact your doctor or pharmacist for individual advice about your weight, and support for losing weight if you need to.

How can I lose weight?

The key is to make small, long-lasting changes to your lifestyle. Try making gradual changes to your diet and exercise habits. This will help you lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle long-term.

Tips to help you maintain a healthy weight:

  • Eat balanced meals with plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains.
  • Try to cook your own food if you can, so you can keep fat, sugar and salt low.
  • Keep takeaways for occasional treats only.
  • Choose low-fat options for milk, cheese, yoghurts, spreads and salad dressings. But remember, some low-fat options are high in sugar – look at the food label if you’re not sure.
  • Choose lean cuts of meat and trim off visible fat. Replace fatty cuts of red meat with poultry, such as chicken or turkey.
  • Steam, grill, bake, poach or simmer, rather than frying your food.
  • Try to eat only as much as you need. If you consume more calories than your body needs, then the extra energy is usually stored as fat. This will cause you to put on weight.
  • Use smaller plates and bowls to help control your portion sizes.
  • Alcohol is often high in calories, so try to cut back.
  • Regular physical activity can also help you manage your weight.

Weight-loss medication

There are weight-loss medications available on prescription from the NHS for people who meet certain criteria.

It’s important to talk to your doctor first for individual advice on whether these treatments are available in your area and may be suitable and safe for you.

Semaglutide

These medications include semaglutide (also known by the brand name Wegovy). This is a weekly injection which should only be taken under medical supervision with regular reviews, and alongside a reduced-calorie diet, plus exercise.

Semaglutide can help you feel fuller and less hungry, reducing your appetite. This can help you lose weight. Research also shows semaglutide can help reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack in obese or overweight adults with cardiovascular disease, even before any significant weight loss, when given alongside standard healthcare.

However, it can also cause side effects in some people, including constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, acid reflux or vomiting. It’s important to eat a nutritionally balanced diet alongside the medication or your vitamin and mineral levels may become low. You may also lose muscle alongside body fat if you don't get enough protein and physical activity to keep your muscles strong. The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has more information on healthy eating and exercise while taking weight-loss medications.

Who is eligible?

Following a new recommendation by NICE for England and Wales in May 2026, semaglutide will be offered on the NHS to more people who are overweight and have cardiovascular disease, to help them reduce their risk of stroke and heart attacks.
You may be eligible for semaglutide if you meet both of the following criteria:

  • You have had a previous ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke or heart attack, or have symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (a condition affecting blood flow in the legs).
  • You have a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or more.

    You must also be willing to follow a reduced-calorie diet and increase your physical activity alongside taking semaglutide.

How is semaglutide prescribed?

If you meet the criteria, a GP or specialist can assess you to decide if it’s a suitable treatment, based on your individual circumstances. You may then be prescribed a weekly injection you can give yourself.

The injection is used in addition to other medications you may be taking to reduce your risk of stroke, such as statins, high blood pressure medication and blood-thinning medication.

Find out more

NHS Better Health has a free app to help you get started with weight loss, including tips on healthy eating and being active. You can also access the Healthier Your diabetes prevention programme and find more online tools and support.

You'll also find more information and tips in our leaflets Healthy eating and stroke and Getting active after a stroke.

In England, if you're living with obesity and you have also been diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure or both, your GP may be able to refer you to a 12-week, online NHS Digital Weight Management Programme.

If you've had a stroke and are considering fasting for personal or religious reasons, read our information on fasting after stroke.

Written and edited by
Jenny Simpson , Jonathan Jones , Gemma Harris