Women struggling to lose weight after childbirth should be given special government help, a Tory minister has said. Claire Perry said many women found it a real struggle to shift the pounds while raising small children and needed incentives to ‘motivate’ them. But she rejected calls for sanctions on people who are overweight. Her remarks come just weeks after the Prime Minister called for people who are too fat to work to be stripped of their benefits if they refuse to go on weight-loss regimes. Scroll down for video . Tory minister Claire Perry said many women found it a real struggle to shift the pounds while raising small children . However, Mrs Perry said she ‘preferred to see incentives’ rather than taking people’s benefits away. She said: ‘If it was all about willpower I would weigh eight stone. We live in a world where dietary advice is incredibly confusing, every week we read it’s carbs, it’s not carbs, it’s fat, it’s starvation – whatever it is. ‘People are busy, running around looking after their children. Everybody would like to be slimmer and healthier. What our welfare system could do is encourage people to make those choices.’ Mrs Perry added: ‘I’d prefer to see real incentives for people to get healthy, get more active. We know that increased exercise is associated with increased mental health. ‘I think for many women who are struggling having to lose weight after children it is a real problem and anything we can do to motivate people and give incentives to do. I prefer to focus on carrots for healthy choice rather than sticks.’ The transport minister’s intervention comes after Mr Cameron said people who cannot work because they are too fat – or addicted to drugs or alcohol – should have their benefits cut if they refuse to get treatment. Mrs Perry, appearing on the Daily Politics show today, said she ‘preferred to see incentives’ to encourage people to lose weight rather than taking people’s benefits away . Almost 2,000 people are registered as long-term sick because of obesity. Ministers are considering forcing them to go on a diet or lose their benefits . The proposed overhaul of the benefits system could save Britain £500million a year in sickness payments. The Prime Minister has asked a government health adviser to ‘rapidly’ review the Conservatives’ plans. Speaking last month, he said: ‘Too many people are stuck on sickness benefits because of issues that could be addressed but instead are not.’ Under one plan being looked at, almost 2,000 people registered as long-term sick because of obesity would face having their benefits docked unless they agreed to lose weight. Around 56,000 people on the register say their primary condition is alcoholism. Almost 34,000 cite drug dependency. On average these 90,000 people get about £100 a week in sickness benefits and are entitled to other payments, such as housing and council tax benefits. They are already offered treatment, such as courses and medication, to kick their habit and get back to work. But there is no legal requirement to accept the help. Mr Cameron’s plan has been attacked by senior Tories. Sarah Wollaston, the chair of the influential Commons Health Committee, said she was 'infuriated' by the 'illegal and unworkable' proposal, announced last month.
Claire Perry said many women found it a real struggle to shift the pounds . The Tory minister rejected calls to cut benefits for people too fat to work . Comes after the PM said obese people should be forced onto diets . But Mrs Perry said: 'If it was all about willpower I would weigh eight stone'
She added: 'Many women are struggling  to lose weight after children'