TWO Ealing doctors have launched a new programme to help tackle issues of overeating, compulsive eating and binge eating.

The doctors, who are also trained food addiction councillors decided to start Resolve Food Addiction as they grew tired of the traditional weight loss methods offered to patients.

Dr Raquel Delgado, one the founders of Resolve Food Addiction told Nub News: "I have been working for the NHS for 23 years, and in general practice I see many people with Type 2 diabetes.

"In the last six years I have seen an increasingly larger number of people suffering with obesity and eating problems.

"Although we follow dietary guidelines, and we refer them to weight-management programmes, we basically see no resolution to the problem.

"People need support, not just to be told what to do, that's why they struggle to succeed.

"They need someone there for them and that's a big part of what we offer.

"I became frustrated with the current management of obesity and weight-management programmes on the NHS, 60% of the UK population are now either overweight or obese and this has a knock-on effect on clinical services."

The programme is open to anyone who believes they may have an unhealthy relationship with food or struggles with a food addiction and is not solely focused on those who are overweight.

Dr Eva Clemente, the other founder of Resolve Food Addiction told Nub News: "The problem with food addiction is it's not always about the weight.

"You can be in a good physical shape yet still have an addiction, but it might just not be as obvious because you work out.

"The weight is just a consequence of the addiction and some people might binge while some people might restrict, but they are still classified as having an addiction and we will support those clients as well.

"It's like a brain disease in a way, your brain doesn't let you accept that you're addicted to a certain food.

"Because we are also doctors, we can individually assess our clients based on their needs."

The two doctors claim that food addiction is much more common than we think and that we need to stop prejudicing food addicts as being lazy or not wanting to get better.

"Our aim is for people to realise that there's hope that they can get better," added Dr Delgado.

The price of the programme will be tailored to the needs of each individual based on the services they access and the length in which they are a part of the programme.

The service is also available in Spanish, and for people that don't necessarily live in the UK too.