Medway adults living with obesity can now get 12 months of free access to the Gro Health app, with a coach. How to check you qualify, and the free alternatives.

Adults in Medway who are living with obesity can now sign up for a free weight management app, with a health coach, for up to a year.

Medway Council announced the service on 30 September. It has commissioned Gro Health, run by the company DDM, to support people with “severe and complex obesity issues”. It sits alongside the council’s existing face-to-face groups.

What you get

According to the council’s page on the app, the free place includes:

  • a 12-week weight management programme
  • one-to-one health coaching, with in-app messaging
  • access to the app for up to 12 months
  • a food diary with a barcode scanner and photo recognition of your plate
  • a library of recipes matched to your goals, preferences and allergies

You start with a health assessment and get a personalised 12-week plan. It covers food, mental wellbeing, activity and sleep. After 12 weeks your progress is reviewed and the plan is adjusted, the council says. The app runs on phones and tablets, and also works in a web browser.

The council says people who complete the education modules lose more than 5% of their body weight on average. It did not say where that figure comes from or whether it covers Medway users, so treat it as the provider’s claim.

How to check if you qualify

Eligibility is checked by a form on Gro Health’s Medway sign-up page. The service is for people “with a higher BMI”, but neither the council nor Gro publishes the exact threshold. The form asks for:

  • your postcode and your GP surgery, to confirm you live in Medway
  • your height and weight
  • whether you are pregnant
  • whether you have had weight loss surgery in the last two years
  • whether you have been diagnosed with an eating disorder
  • whether you are taking an injectable weight loss medicine such as Wegovy or Mounjaro

That last question does not rule you out. The form says plainly that taking a weight loss injection “will not limit your access to the service”.

If you get stuck, Gro’s support team is on 0330 133 0307.

How Medway compares

Medway’s weight figures are close to the national picture, but slightly worse on one measure. In 2024/25, according to the government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities:

  • 26.7% of Medway adults were living with obesity, against 26.6% across England
  • 68.0% were overweight or obese, against 64.6% across England

Both Medway figures come from a survey of about 560 local adults, so they carry a wide margin of error. OHID rates them as statistically similar to England.

The free alternatives, if an app is not for you

Gro is one of four free adult options listed on the council’s adult weight loss page:

  • Healthy Way: a free 12-week course run in groups, face to face and online, with mixed and single-sex groups. Book on 01634 334 814 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or at healthyway@medway.gov.uk.
  • Healthy Way Plus: a 10-week follow-on course for people who have finished Healthy Way, Oviva or Gro. You need a BMI of 27.5 or more if you are from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background, or 30 or more otherwise. Book on 01634 333 101.
  • Man v Fat: a free football league for men with a BMI of 27.5 or more, where teams score points for weight lost as well as goals. The council’s page still carries dates from 2021 and 2022, so ring before you turn up.

The council’s healthy weight team can help you choose between them on 01634 334 814.

What the council says

Councillor Teresa Murray, Deputy Leader and portfolio holder for public health, said: “Maintaining a healthy weight can be difficult, particularly for people facing challenges such as poor mental health, financial pressures or busy lifestyles. By providing accessible, personalised support, we can help more residents take positive steps towards a healthier future.”

She called the service a step towards Medway becoming “an official Marmot Place”, the council’s programme on health inequalities.

What it means for you

If you have tried to lose weight and found it hard to fit a weekly group around work or caring, the app is the option built for that. Check your eligibility on the Gro sign-up page. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing.

If you are 55 or over, the council’s free Thrive from 55 event at Medway Park on 13 October also covers healthy living. Older adults worried about falls can self-refer to the free FaME strength and balance programme.

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