Nearly 70% of men in the UK are overweight or obese. Yet traditional weight management programmes fail to engage them, with fewer than two in 10 participants being men. This disparity highlights the need for a different approach.
Recognising the gap in support, we developed Gutless in 2016 – a programme designed specifically for men. Delivered by the Beezee online team, Gutless provides a supportive, judgement-free space for men to improve their health and wellbeing.
The challenge: addressing men’s health needs
Higher obesity rates
The high rates of overweight and obesity among UK adults remains a significant public health concern, affecting a substantial majority of the population. Currently, 64.5% of adults are classified as living with overweight or obesity, which translates to an annual £6.5 billion impact on the NHS.
Recent data indicates a divergent trend based on gender. While the prevalence of obesity in adult women has exhibited a marginal reduction between 2022 and 2024, obesity among adult men has seen a concerning increase. Specifically, the proportion of adult men categorised as overweight or obese escalated from an already high 67% in 2022 to 69% in 2024.
Low engagement
In 2016, qualitative data collected from stakeholder consultations consistently indicated that current, prevailing models were frequently perceived as lacking relevance and sensitivity to male experiences, often resulting in a feeling of marginalisation or being unrecognised by the programme infrastructure.
To put it simply, men do not feel seen or heard in traditional programmes, which is reflected in participation figures showing that fewer than 15% of attendees are male.
This evidence strongly advocated for the development of a bespoke, co-designed intervention, explicitly conceptualised with and for men to enhance participant outcome and retention.
Rising cost of obesity
The rising cost of obesity is a growing concern, both medically and economically. In the UK, it is estimated that obesity costs the NHS £11.4 billion annually, with broader societal costs reaching £74.3 billion annually due to lost productivity and ill health.
Tackling this issue requires targeted interventions that consider lifestyle, access to support services, and broader social determinants of health – especially in communities where men are less likely to seek help or engage with traditional weight management programmes.
The power of co-design: listening to men’s voices
The co-design process has been central to the success of Gutless. Through a series of focus groups and interviews, we worked alongside men to understand what their motivations were, what resonated with them, and what they felt was missing from existing weight management programmes. This collaborative approach allowed us to design a service that is not only clinically effective but also culturally competent, relevant, and accessible.
Shaping a programme within the community:
- Data-driven and user-informed design – The focus group highlighted that men trust data and prefer an approach that is logical more than emotional. When designing the programme, we ensured Gutless integrates evidence-based weight management with a humorous people-centric delivery to create an easy-to-understand and engaging programme.
- Peer-led support – One of the most impactful elements of the programme is its peer-led model. This approach fosters a sense of community and shared understanding, creating a more empathetic and empowering approach to service design that recognises the stakeholders as allied experts.
- Branding and messaging – When co-designing the branding for Gutless, we knew it was about more than just aesthetics – it was about creating a voice that men trust and connect with. We tested several programme names, designs, and headlines with focus groups of men aged between 45 and 60. Feedback showed that humour and relatability resonated most, leading to the slightly tongue-in-cheek identity.
- Continuous improvement – Co-design is not a one-off exercise. Gutless is built on a foundation of continuous feedback. Regular evaluation and input from participants ensure that the programme remains relevant, effective, and aligned with the evolving needs of its users.
Transforming lives
Gutless is delivering measurable health outcomes. In 2025, we saw 71% of programme participants achieve weight loss, showcasing the effectiveness and scalability of our approach.
For participants like Steve, a community radio show presenter and retired caretaker, the results have been life-changing. After joining the programme with high blood pressure and pre-diabetes, with the help of Gutless he lost nearly five stone, reduced his blood pressure to within a healthy range, and gained greater confidence in his daily life.
Why Gutless works
Gutless continues to be one of our best-performing programmes. Over 10 weeks, participants attend weekly webinars covering essential health topics such as portion sizes, food labelling, mindful eating, and physical activity. Every session is informed by behavioural science and centred around the COM-B model of behaviour change.
So far this year, 81% of people have completed the programme and nearly a third achieved a 6 to 13% weight loss. Results like this not only highlight the effectiveness but also underline the need for men-only weight loss programmes.
Accessibility is one of the programme’s core strengths. Delivered entirely online, men can participate from the comfort of their own homes, making it particularly suitable for those with disabilities, injuries or demanding schedules.
A consistent theme emerging from participant feedback is the strong sense of trust and camaraderie built within the group. Men openly share their stories, challenges, and progress, creating a supportive environment rooted in honesty and shared experience. This culture of openness helps to reduce isolation, providing both emotional encouragement and practical motivation for long-term behaviour change.
Interestingly, social comparison within the group becomes a positive force. Rather than discouraging participants, it fosters healthy competition and reinforces self-belief. Seeing peers overcome similar challenges inspires men to persist with their own goals — transforming a potentially negative dynamic into a powerful driver of progress and success.
Key takeaways for commissioners
Co-design is a powerful approach that ensures programmes are not only effective but also relevant and meaningful to the communities they serve.
By involving the target audience in the design process, we gain invaluable insights into their unique challenges, motivations, and needs. This collaborative method fosters a sense of ownership and trust, increasing engagement and long-term success.
For commissioners, investing in co-designed programmes like Gutless means supporting initiatives that are data-informed, culturally sensitive, and tailored to deliver real, measurable outcomes. Co-design doesn’t just create services – it builds partnerships with communities, ensuring solutions that truly work.
