Agenda item

The Chairman allowed Cllr Graham Vickery to make a statement regarding Item 6 – Impact of the Obesity Plan.

Cllr Vickery applauded the target of the Obesity Plan to tackle the obesogenic environment but felt further steps needed to be taken and that planners and District Councils should take the plan into account when agreeing to the placement of take-away outlets.

He felt that all members of the Board should ensure their organisations take action and all canteens in their offices and schools should be audited.  He believed there should be a strategy for intervention and people should not just be left to help themselves.

Frances Howie then gave her presentation regarding the obesity plan. She explained that there had been a lot of activity but it was recognised that it was difficult to measure any improvements in the short term.

Following the development of the Obesity Plan an Action Group had been set up and a newsletter produced. The plan had 4 aims:

·         Empowering individuals to take responsibility for their own and their families' diet and physical activity habits,

·         Tackling the obesogenic environment,

·         Developing a health workforce,

·         Developing robust care pathways.

It was too soon to see hard evidence of change; and the results for adults were self-reported so needed to be treated with caution; but there was confidence that the evidence based actions would be successful in the longer term. The information for children was reliable as measuring took place in schools at reception and year 6. The children's results were moderately positive and for reception aged children the gap has narrowed between the Worcestershire figures and the England average. At year 6 the number of obese children was below the England average although the England figure in itself was cause for concern.

The work had also included significant training for front line staff on topics such as eating well on a budget and courses such as from Couch to 5K running.  In answer to Cllr Vickery's concerns, conversations were happening with District Planning departments for more consideration to be taken as to where fast food outlets should be allowed. The Health trainers service had been stopped but the Living Well Programme was focusing on lifestyle changes and the health checks programme for those aged 40- 74 years was continuing.  Engagement through the HIG was good and they had considered work done elsewhere such as by the University and the Redditch Overview and Scrutiny process.

During the following discussion various points were made:

·         Members were unclear how much influence the Board had at District level. It was explained that a technical guidance document had been produced for use by planners at District level, on issues such as considering exclusion zones or opening times for food outlets around schools. The Chairman felt that it should be made a material planning consideration and be part of the National Planning Policy Framework,

·         Members wondered how the work was being targeted to the people or areas which were most in need. 25% of people were overweight in deprived areas compared to 18% elsewhere so it was agreed that it was important to target messages, and it was noted that the Living Well service was focussed in areas of disadvantage,

·         Working with families and 0-19 year olds was important to ensure people were on the right track. However mailings had been sent to schools and training offered for governors but the offers had not been taken up,

·         Board members felt that it was not just about restricting fast food outlets close to schools but finding a whole system solution and lots of actions were needed to approach the problem from different angles. It was noted that the Action Plan was very wide ranging, in response to this complex issue,

·         One Member felt that obesity should be treated like other addictions and it was pointed out that education along with other interventions can be successful in the long run as it had been with smoking. It was noted that changing addictive behaviours does require system changes, as in the case of smoking.

RESOLVED that the Health and Well-being Board;

a)    Noted the delivery against the Obesity Plan,

b)    Recognised the challenge of measuring the impact of the work in the short term,

c)    Supported the legacy work on obesity in Board members' own organisations, especially through commissioning, and

d)    Considered the development of a cross-system social marketing programme to further tackle obesity.