Posted on: 3 March 2025
This World Obesity Day, Councillor Hannah Bithell, Leeds City Council’s Obesity Champion, is sharing her personal journey of recovery from food addiction and obesity, highlighting the challenges of weight-related stigma and the impact obesity had on her daily life and health.
Hannah, 37, once weighed 23 stone, but has now lost over eight stone after recognising her relationship with food as an addiction. Despite an active childhood filled with sports and outdoor activities, she turned to food as a coping mechanism, leading to significant weight gain in her teenage years.
"For many years, I struggled with my weight, not just physically but emotionally too. I turned to food to help cope with difficulties in life and didn’t realise at the time that it was an addiction," said Councillor Bithell.
Her decision to change was driven by three key moments in her life: being told she needed to lose weight to adopt children, discovering her body had developed extra bone growth to support her weight, and being denied life insurance due to health risks. Even with these warnings, she initially turned to food for comfort until she recognised the addiction at play.
Through a 12-step recovery programme, Hannah removed addictive components from her diet, cutting out sugar, white flour, and heavy fats. What might seem restrictive to some became a freeing lifestyle change for her. “Once I removed the ingredients the cravings that were so overwhelming, just stopped, the weight took care of itself,” she explains. “I didn’t have to diet, I didn’t have to obsess over it - my weight just gradually went down.”
Now, over 8 stone lighter, Hannah’s life has transformed. Simple tasks like tying her shoelaces or climbing stairs no longer feel like a struggle. She recalls the first time someone voluntarily sat next to her on a bus, a moment that brought home how much her body had changed. She has also taken up American Football and climbed a mountain - both unimaginable at her previous weight.
Beyond physical benefits, Hannah’s journey has had a profound impact on her role as a parent. She and her wife adopted children, and her increased energy allows her to fully engage in play and outdoor activities. “My kids love physical play. Now I can confidently lift them, run around, and take them on fairground rides I wouldn’t have fit on before. Losing weight not only opened up opportunities for me, but for my children too.”
As Leeds City Council’s Obesity Champion, Hannah uses her experience to advocate for better understanding and support for those living with obesity. She emphasises that weight stigma can deter people from seeking help. "People living with obesity frequently face judgement in every aspect of life. No one chooses to struggle with their weight, and no one should feel ashamed to ask for help. The more we talk about obesity as a health condition rather than a personal failing, and one that requires a therapeutic approach, the better our support systems will become," she added.
She also acknowledges that her recovery is ongoing. “There are still days when I think about going back to old habits. But then I remind myself of everything I’ve gained - my health, my confidence, my ability to be present for my family.”
Through sharing her story, Hannah hopes to challenge misconceptions and encourage a more compassionate approach to obesity. “Obesity is complex, food was my solution to everything, it isn’t just about weight loss - it’s about addressing the reasons behind the eating.”
World Obesity Day, marked on 4 March, aims to increase awareness and improve understanding of obesity, tackling widespread misconceptions and encouraging better support for those affected. Find more information about World Obesity Day online.
If you need support with obesity or food addiction, help is available through:
- Your local GP – can provide advice, referrals, and medical support tailored to your needs.
- Public Health Services – locally there is information about healthy living support available through local authorities and primary care.
- The NHS Better Health Programme – offers online tools and structured weight-loss advice.
For the past two years Cllr Bithell has been an obesity champion, sitting on the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board Obesity and Weight Management Steering Group.
West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership is committed to taking a compassionate and trauma-informed approach to obesity. Work is underway to reframe obesity as a chronic relapsing condition, similar to diabetes, reduce stigma and improve access to effective weight management services. The Partnership’s Obesity Strategy aligns with national priorities while focusing on local needs.