Britain's expanding waistlines raises concerns that British children of the future will face increased health-related problems due to obesity. A worrying 18 per cent of two to 15 year olds and nearly a quarter of the adult population are already obese, Health Secretary Alan Johnson has said. Spanish franchise Naturhouse has launched in the UK and is set to help tackle Britain's obesity problem.

After its success in other countries the franchise is set to expand nationwide and would be suited to someone interested in running a profitable business that will help provide a healthier future. Naturhouse was set up in 1986 in Spain and started its international expansion in 1999. The franchise now has over 1,500 centres in 17 countries worldwide and is on the look out for new franchisees that are either investors, or have a health, diet, nutrition or medical background. The majority of existing franchisees in the network are chemists, dieticians, biologists, nurses, health professionals or investors.

The modern sedentary, fast food lifestyle is at the heart of the obesity crisis, and with current trends indicating that by 2050 almost 60 per cent of the UK's population will be obese, Naturhouse has a large potential consumer market. Over two million people worldwide have already gone to a Naturhouse centre for advice and products to help them lose weight and have had good results.

Naturhouse shops have a deliberately elegant image.

Master Franchisee of Naturhouse UK Nerea Larranaga says: "The company mission is to provide nutritional re-programming and teach customers healthy eating habits. The tool is an effective personalised dietary programme accompanied by food supplements, which are developed by Naturhouse laboratories and sold in its centres. The programmes are not restrictive so enable clients to easily adapt to new eating habits, lose unwanted weight and maintain it."

What makes Naturhouse unique is that its focus is not just on the sale of products. The network aims to help create a healthier lifestyle for its customers, who are provided with free diet and nutrition consultations and a choice of over 150 diet plans. This ensures the physiological, biochemical and metabolic needs of each customer are met.

Naturhouse franchisees have the benefits of job security that a globally recognised brand provides, continual support and the addition of a certified professional in their store to ensure any client's needs are not wrongly diagnosed. Every franchisee is provided with thorough commercial training with help from a business advisor as part of the franchise package. The technical headquarters based in Barcelona is on-hand to support the franchisee and help with any query, and comprises of a medical department, technical directors, chemists and a team of biologist dieticians.

To become a franchisee Naturhouse asks for an initial investment of £27,000. This helps pay for refurbishment of a well situated high street premises, together with furniture, stock and any other materials required to open the business. The Naturhouse network is an opportunity for people to run their own business and have the satisfaction of helping to implement positive changes to Britain's attitude towards diet, weight and healthy eating to ensure the population of the future is not obese.

Text: Jess Sturman