Labour-run Doncaster council which governs one of UK's most obese areas rejects use of weight-loss programmes because there is 'little evidence' they have long-term impact

Forget judgement and stigma, dispense with the received wisdom about nutrition and exercise, and focus instead on 'joyful movement' and 'healthy places and opportunities'.

That is the recipe for tackling obesity cooked up by the Labour-run council in Doncaster, where almost three in four people are overweight and nearly a third are classified as clinically obese.

Rejecting the notion that 'being a certain weight equates to being healthy', the council is putting its faith and its funding in group activities such as dance classes and increased use of green spaces.

The idea is to take the emphasis off traditional weight-loss targets like eating five portions of fruit and vegetables daily or counting calories, instead prioritising a 'compassionate approach' that acknowledges 'the inherent diversity of body shapes and sizes'.

The NHS recommends a weekly regime of at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise for adults, spread over four to five days, or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity.

Brisk walking, cycling and mowing the lawn are among the types of exercise acceptable defined as moderate activity, with running, football and martial arts categorised as more vigorous.

But Rachael Leslie, Doncaster's director of public health, believes public health guidelines are of limited use since they adopt 'stigma-based language' and set goals that might be beyond the reach of many people.

'Just having that information alone doesn't have a material impact,' Ms Leslie told the Times . 'It's not going to be what motivates people to be their healthiest selves.

'We hope to make the biggest difference by focusing on creating healthy places and healthy opportunities. It's not about a commissioned programme, but creating a whole environment and opportunity.'

In Doncaster, 72% of adults are overweight, compared with a national average of 64%, while almost 30% have a body-mass index of over 30, the mark above which a person is classified as clinically obese.

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But the council's approach, which is endorsed by the British Medical Association and has also been used in Cornwall, Bolton and Leeds, has been well received by locals.

A notable success has been Fit Rovers, an initiative run by the Doncaster Rovers charity that incorporates an hour's education and an hour's exercise weekly.

The 1,300 people who have completed the free eight-week programme have shed a collective total of more than 431 stone, with benefits for mental as well as physical health.

Other measures adopted include active transport such as cycling, the rejection of planning applications for takeaway outlets near schools, and a focus not only on eating and exercising correctly, but also on the health benefits of proper rest and stress reduction.

'We were concerned that traditional approaches will cause harm by contributing to weight stigma,' said Holly Campbell, Doncaster council's public health improvement co-ordinator.

'That prevents people from engaging in healthcare services, from going to the gym, because they are worried about how they will be treated and perceived.'