Agenda item

To receive a report and presentation on the Children, Young People & Families Healthy Weight Strategy.

The Board received a report and presentation on the Children, Young People & Families Healthy Weight Strategy from Laura Carvell, Programme Officer (Children) Public Health and Clare Mills, Lead Children’s Commissioner, PubicHealth.

It was noted that the results of the National Childhood Measurement Programme from 2015/16 showed that 20% of Reception pupils were either overweight or obese and this increase to 37% for Year 6 pupils.  Whilst the National averages for children who were overweight and obese were of concern, there were significantly higher levels of excess weigh amongst Year 6 children than the national average.  It was estimated that obesity cost the nation approximately £27m and had an increasing effect on infant mortality.

There had previously been a Healthy Weight Strategy from 2009-2013 covering both adults and children prior to the responsibility of Public Health transferring from the NHS to local authorities in 2013.  Given the national focus on childhood obesity and the opportunities that arose from Public Health being with the Council, it was decided that it was an appropriate time to develop a new strategy for Children and Young People.  The new strategy had been developed by a multi- disciplinary Steering Group.

The Strategy’s ambitions were to:-

·         Create an environment where children and young people are supported to be fit and happy by:-

o   Celebrating and enjoying good food.

o   Being confident and having a positive body image.

o   Being fit, strong and active.

·         Work with a range of organisations to promote affordable health food and drink and enable Leicester to be a healthy environment to live and grow up in.

·         Improve children’s knowledge about healthy eating and physical activity and encourage them to make positive choices.

·         Encourage adults who live or work with children to be good role models  who have positive relationships with food and physical activity.

The Strategy encompassed pulling together the work already delivered by partners by bringing them together to deliver a joined-up approach for programmes related to healthy weight.  The Strategy would be supported by an Action Plan to capture other key actions and explore a number of new projects and initiatives.

One such initiative was the 1,000 Tweaks designed to be a low-cost initiative to encourage businesses, organisations, families and individuals to small and easy changes to implement to bring about changes on behaviour.  A tweak was defined as something that involved:-

·         A little change by an organisation, business, family or individual to help children eat healthy and more physical activity.

·         That was small and easy to implement change.

·         That a person could start straight away.

·         That a person could do on their own.

·         That cost nothing or little to implement.

The Board were show a short promotional video of individuals and groups describing the tweaks they had made. 

The Chair commented that he had previously written to all Board members urging them to consider making a Tweak.  He asked members to submit their Tweaks to the lead officers and the Leicester Mercury before the next Board meeting.

The Chief Executive of UHL NHS Trust stated that staff in the Trust had embraced the initiative across departments.  One Tweak that had proved popular had been to provide free fruit in the children’s outpatients department.

RESOLVED:

That the officers be thanked for their presentation and that Board Members be encouraged to participate in the 1,000 Tweaks initiative and to publicise them.