Tackling Childhood Obesity in Birmingham

Linda Hindle

Consultant Dietitian, Birmingham Public Health

August 2013

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Birmingham’s Challenge

• One in four children in Birmingham are obese by the time they leave primary school

• 12% of Birmingham children start school obese• 40% of our kids are either overweight or obese *

• * in year 6

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Childhood Obesity in Birmingham compared to England

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Geographical Variation in Year 6 Obesity 2006/07 -2007/08

Darker areas highlight higher rates of obesity

Year 6

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Geographical Variation in Year 6 Obesity 2008/09 -2009/10

Darker areas highlight higher rates of obesity

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Darker areas highlight higher rates of obesity

Geographical Variation in Year 6 Obesity 2010/11 -2011/12

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Birmingham’s Response

• Childhood obesity is one of 10 priorities of the Health and Wellbeing Board

• The Board brings together political and strategic leadership from Birmingham City Council, CCGs, NHS, Healthwatch and the voluntary sector

• Agreed an ambitious target to reduce levels of childhood obesity

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Our Ambition

Table 1 - Excess weight ambition and expected prevalence 2017/18

Age group Value 2011/12 Ambition 2017/18

Expected value 2017/18

Gap from expected to ambition 2017/18

4-5 year olds 24.4% 22.6% 26.0% 3.4%

10-11 year olds 40.0% 33.9% 45.2% 11.3%

*Expected values based on projections from data 2006/07 to 2011/12

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Creating a shared vision – engaging partners• Birmingham City Council (public health, sustainability,

environmental health, parks and leisure, districts)• NHS (CCGs, hospitals, community providers and NHS

England)• Fire service, Police, Food for life partnership, Growing

Birmingham, Birmingham open spaces forum, Birmingham University, Health Exchange, Gateway, CSP………

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Aims

1. Birmingham’s environment encourages participation in physical activity and enjoyment of healthy food choices – the healthy choice is the easy choice

2. Behaviours are adopted which favour physical activity and healthy eating – children choose to be more active and eat healthier food

3. Birmingham children and their families have access to appealing, local opportunities to participate in physical activity and enjoy healthy food

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Our Model

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Our PrioritiesEnvironment Behaviour change Opportunities

Increase healthy food and activity businesses

Limit the number of fast food shops and restaurants, especially near schools

Schools and other public funded settings to be exemplars of good practice in promoting healthy lifestyle choices.

Change City Plans to encourage walking and cycling and less reliance on cars

Make walking and cycling safer near schools

Optimise health benefits from major planning developments

Implement behaviour change interventions for healthy eating and physical activity across the whole City, ensuring access by children at increased risk.

Ensure access to healthy food choices for children

Dining rooms to be attractive to children with staff ‘selling’ healthy choices

Increase offers of affordable, appealing physical activity

Local “play” facilities that are safe

Implement road closure days to encourage participation in cycling

Increase access to food growing opportunities

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Governance and engagement

• Supported by user reference groups

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How we plan to maintain progress

• Focus on keeping partners and community engaged through – regular email communication, quarterly briefing sheets, engagement events

• Focus on PR opportunities• Scrutiny by steering group and HWB• Project planning and monitoring

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What has helped so far

• Engagement• Leadership and support• Use of media• Making the most of links to other strategies• Learning from other areas