Tackling Childhood Obesity in London

1
Tackling Childhood Obesity in London

• Sheila Adam,
• Director of Public Health - London
• Tackling Obesity Conference
• 30th March 2007

2
Overview

• London challenges and context
• Delivery plans and partnerships
• Whats happening in London
• Opportunities to maximise support for local
  delivery

3
Inequalities in Obesity Among Children under 11
years

• Obesity is highest amongst children living in
  London at 18.8, compared to England average of
  15
• However adult obesity in London is below the
  national average at 20.4, compared to 21.8

18-19.9
16-17.9
obese
14-15.9
13.9
4
Diet and Physical Activity

• In 2002 children and young people in London had
  the highest fruit and veg. consumption of any
  region (3.1 daily portions for 5-15 year olds),
  but this still falls short of 5 a Day.
• The proportion of young people eating 5 a Day or
  more was 19 of boys and 17 of girls aged 5-15
  years.
• 68 of Londons school children participate in at
  least 2 hours of high-quality PE and out of
  school sport in a typical week.
• 64 of boys and 53 of girls ages 2-15 had high
  levels of physical activity.
• 71.8 of 16-24 year old London females reported
  doing no physical activity in the last 12 weeks.

5
London Challenges

• What makes London unique?
• High levels of population mobility
• Diversity
• High rates of poverty and inequalities
• Vulnerable young people
• Fear of crime

6
London Delivery Plans
7
Partnerships for Delivery
8
London Programme Funds for 2007/08

• Options include
• Childhood Obesity Support Programme
• Early Years and Breast feeding
• Supporting Healthy Schools
• Promoting Physical Activity
• Workplaces
• Data and Evaluation

9
Whats Happening in London?

• How can London work together to halt the rise?
• How best can London respond to the national
  programme?
• Whats happening already?
• What is planned for 2007/08?

10
Healthy and Sustainable Food

• London food Strategy sets out a whole system
  approach from primary production, through to
  eating and consumption, to waste disposal
• Includes priorities for consumer engagement and
  delivering healthy schools.
• A range of actions with both short and long term
  benefits and involving improvement to school
  meals, training and equipment for cooks,
  education, cooking skills and food waste
  awareness for pupils.

11
Creating a Climate for Success Health and 2012
Delivery Plans

• Aim to build on current work and inspire using
  the 2012 message.

• Action Plan for 2007/08 includes
• Deliver School Pedometer Programme
• Deliver healthy Eating messages to parents and
  young children through Healthy Start initiative
• Launch and promote the physical activity toolkit
  in schools
• Healthy Schools communications plan with 2012
  theme.

12
Healthy Schools

• Healthy Schools are cornerstone of promoting
  healthy lifestyles for children
• By December 2006 54 of London Schools achieved
  Level 3 or new Healthy Schools Status
• The Healthy Schools Nutrition, and Physical
  Activity Themes
• Involving parents, providing a welcoming eating
  environment, healthy vending machines and tuck
  shops, adopting School Food Trust standards.
• Ensuring children participate in at least 2 hours
  of high-quality PE a week.
• www.healthyschools.gov.uk

13
Healthy Food

• School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme reaches 97 of
  London primary schools
• Regional training resource supports healthy
  school partnerships and promotes whole school
  food policies
• Food Co-ops to promote community access

• Cooking Schools
• 5 A DAY programmes sustained local work, e.g.
  Breakfast clubs and fruit tuck shops

14
Promoting Physical Activity

• School Sports Partnerships in place to promote
  school physical activity and sports
• Healthy Schools Physical Activity Theme
• Examples of local action
• Active Angels
• Girls -14-16 years
• Olympic Action Zone -
• Estate based activities

15
Tackling the Obesogenic Environment

• An attractive local environment will double the
  chance of people doing recommended amount of
  physical activity compare with a poor environment
  (Giles-Corti et al. 2003, AJPH)
• London children and young people express
  considerable concern about restrictions to
  independent activity and lack of provision for
  exercise
• (State of Londons Children, 2004)

16
Support for families with overweight and obese
children

• Challenges
• effectiveness,
• cost
• sustainability
• how far do they reach?

• Examples in London
• MEND 5 demonstration sites supported by Sport
  England Kensington and Chelsea, Newham,
  Hillingdon, Kingston and Barnet
• Traffic Lights - Islington
• Home grown approaches being developed

17
Local Area Agreements

• All London boroughs have agreed LAAs
• Childhood obesity outcomes were included in most
  LAAs - weight loss indicators, halting the rise
  of childhood obesity or uptake of physical
  activity amongst children
• Healthy Schools targets were used a means to
  improve physical activity and obesity activities
• Over the past 2 years LAA outcomes have been
  agreed to reduce obesity (adults children) to a
  value of almost 9m

18
Data, Evidence and Incentives

• Improving local data increasing coverage of
  weighing and measuring
• Improving Obesity knowledge management
• London Research Centre proposals expert resource
  for diet and physical activity
• Support for developing local strategies and
  commissioning

19
Whats working well and where there is more to do?

• Working well
• Strong focus on early intervention/prevention
• Healthy Schools and Extended Services Schools
• Physical Activity Structures and Support
• LAAs
• Plans for 2012 Games
• London Food Strategy
• NHS Health Strategy Staying Healthy Theme

• Challenges ahead
• Patchy commissioning of obesity management
  programmes
• Increasing social marketing capacity?
• Understanding and meeting the needs of vulnerable
  children
• Weighing and measuring data
• Evidence and evaluation

20
Where next?

• What can you do locally to help halt the rise?
• How can we make partnerships add value?
• What change and/or support is needed to support
  local delivery?
• Where should we focus efforts at a London-wide
  level?
• Messages for DH?