NHS trials hypnotherapy for obese children after 13-year-old drops body fat by 11%

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A hospital within the National Health Service (NHS) is testing hypnotherapy as a way to help very overweight children who haven’t improved with standard weight loss methods. Early findings from a first patient were recently shared at a major obesity conference in Europe.

A team at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, specializing in complications from excess weight, ran a trial with a 13-year-old boy. He had struggled with weight gain despite previous attempts at treatment. The trial involved three 50-minute hypnosis sessions with a clinician, followed by four months of the boy practicing self-hypnosis.

The therapy addressed his regular snacking habits, like eating chips after school, and helped him learn to eat based on his body’s needs instead of acting on impulse.

An 11% drop in body fat

The Mirror reports that the therapy helped him significantly reduce his body fat from 66% to 55%, move his BMI towards a healthy level for his age, and lower his anxiety. While two other patients received the same therapy with their usual care, it wasn’t effective for them.

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According to lead researcher Matthew Selman, a senior clinical psychologist, the study’s findings are promising. While it won’t help everyone, he’s observed substantial improvements in those who respond well to the treatment.

Could hypnotherapy be rolled out across the NHS?

Although clinical hypnosis is sometimes used within the NHS to help with issues like irritable bowel syndrome and long-term pain, it’s not commonly used for weight loss. Dr. Selman is planning a larger study to figure out which young people are most likely to benefit from this treatment.

Since 2021, the National Health Service (NHS) has been treating over 6,500 children with severe obesity at specialized clinics. As part of this treatment, more than 400 children have been prescribed weight loss injections. This trial is happening alongside that ongoing care.

The NHS trial isn’t the only unusual weight loss idea getting attention lately. Earlier in 2026, a strange trend emerged in China where young people started chewing food through plastic wrap, believing it would feel like eating without actually taking in any calories.

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2026-05-17 17:49