Health and fitness professionals are frequently frustrated at their inability to help clients achieve long-standing health behaviour changes and are seeking new, scientifically sound, alternative approaches which are more effective. This handbook has been written as a guide for health and fitness professionals helping clients through the process of lifestyle change with a special emphasis on: eating a more healthy diet, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and becoming more physically active. Providing cautionary advice hardly ever works: it must be combined with effective strategies to change clients' behaviour. Health promotion, primary care, multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working are high on the political agenda. This book encompasses all these issues. Healthcare professionals are realising that their role as 'change agents', as opposed to information providers, requires special skills. Although a wide range of scientific information is available, there is very litle to assist professionals to apply it affectively to get results. No other similar publication exists in the UK marketplace or, probably, the USA.

Paula Hunt is a nutritionist and state registered dietitian with wide experience in health promotion in primary care and the community. She is currently and independent consultant in nutrition and communication.

Melvyn Hillsdon is a rational emotive behaviour therapist who is currently working as a research assistant within the Health Promotion Sciences Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.