The technology is being piloted at 15 Complications from Excess Weight (CEW) clinics, which enables NHS staff to monitor and provide continuous weight loss support to patients and their families, without the need for frequent visits to hospital.

Around 350 patients and their families are already using the new technology, which consists of smart scales with ‘hidden digits' for home use that connects to a mobile app to visually display the direction of their weight management without displaying the specific numbers.

The data is automatically transferred to the patient's clinical team, who can keep in touch with the family through the app to send regular personalised feedback to support behavioural changes to achieve their goals.

It comes as new analysis shows that 4,784 children and young people (aged 2 to 18) living with severe obesity in England have now received care for complications or conditions associated with excess weight from the network of 32 specialist NHS clinics, since 2021.

NHS chiefs see the new smart scale tool and app as a way of expanding CEW clinics' delivery of holistic care and using behavioural change techniques to treat obesity – and will be rolling the system out to four more clinics this Summer to help 150 more children.

Professor Simon Kenny, NHS England's national clinical director for children and young people, said: ‘It is fantastic that through cutting-edge technology and a holistic and behaviour-change approach to obesity care, our specialist NHS clinics have already transformed the lives of thousands of children and young people – supporting them to lose weight, live heathier lives and improve their mental health.

‘This game-changing tool is helping our specialists support and keep track of children's weight loss progress without them needing to leave home, while offering regular advice to them and their parents to help build healthy habits.'