THE first of a new breed of "fat busters" have been trained by a North-East university.

Thirteen people have completed an anti-obesity training course at the University of Teesside.

The newly-trained course leaders can set up community-based weight management courses around the region.

There are hopes that the courses could become a model for a grassroots anti-obesity drive across the UK.

Dr Becky Lang, a research fellow with the university's school of health and social care, recommended that training weight management course tutors was an effective way to fight obesity.

Dr Lang came to that conclusion after evaluating the so-called "fat camp" run by Leeds Metropolitan University, in West Yorkshire, every summer.

Although a small number of obese youngsters from the North-East have benefited from the residential camp, Dr Lang believes the money would be better spent on setting up weight management courses in local communities.

She now hopes the course will run up to three times a year and provide growing numbers of weight management trainers across the UK.

The course, which is open to non-health professionals, closely resembles a weight management course which has been operating in the Whinney Banks area of Middlesbrough.

Some of those who have completed the Whinney Banks course, which emphasises healthy eating and increased exercise, have gone on to become trainers.

"Everybody has done really well and presuming they pass, they can now go out and run a weight management class," said Dr Lang.

She said the Government White Paper on public health supported the notion of locally-based weight management course.

"The Department of Health is creating a director of training courses and we will be in there," said Dr Lang.

"I am convinced there will be a demand for this sort of course, not just in the North-East but across the UK. We know there is already Weight Watchers and Slimmers World out there, but these new courses will provide a different way of attracting people who want to lose weight."

She expects some primary care trusts to fund courses, but hopes that many will be self-financing.

"Most of these courses have been free so far, but if there is a modest charge they could be sustainable in the long run," she added.

She praised course tutor Lynda Baker, a senior dietician, from Hartlepool PCT. "It would not have happened without her," she said.