Gateshead Healthy Schools
Twilight Session 9th November 2016
Update on Child Obesity
Kirk Green, Gateshead Public Health
Team
What we will be covering
•
Child Obesity Plan
•
National Child Measurement Programme
•
Run a Mile
•
Update on Balance it Programme
Child Obesity Plan
• Released August 2016
• The long awaited Government response
to the issue of child obesity
• Criticised in many quarters for not being
robust enough
• Some feared the plan would not be
published following David Cameron’s
resignation.
• Major emphasis on the role of schools
Key Points

Introduction of a soft drinks industry levy - placed on producers and importers,
to be legislated on in the 2017 Budget;

Reducing sugar in products by 20 per cent by 2020 - initially focusing on nine
categories that largely contribute to children’s sugar intake, this aim will then
move on to cover other relevant food and drinks, including milk-based drinks
that may be out of the scope of the soft drinks industry levy;

Encouraging innovation to help businesses to make their products healthier through the work of Innovate UK, Agri-Food technology Council and the Food
Innovation Network;

Updating the nutrient profile model - Public Health England is currently
working with academics, industry, NGOs and other stakeholders to ensure the
nutrient profile reflects the latest dietary guidelines;
Key Points (Contd.)

Make healthy options more available in the public sector - working with local
authorities to ensure they adopt the Government Buying Standards for Food
and Catering Services (GBSF) and to make sure central government departments
adopt them;

Re-committing to the Healthy Start scheme - in 2015/2016, the Healthy Start
scheme provided an estimated £60m worth of vouchers for fruit, vegetables
and milk to low income families across England;

Helping children enjoy an hour of physical activity every day - funding for this
will be provided by the soft drinks industry levy and made available for school
sports. PHE will also be developing advice to schools for the academic year
2017/2018;
Key Points (Contd.)

Improving co-ordination of quality sport and physical activity programmes for
schools - including through offering sport programmes to every primary school,
and increasing investment in walking and cycling to school;

Creating a new healthy rating scheme for primary schools - the criteria for the
rating scheme will be developed in consultation with schools and experts;

Making school food healthier - updating the School Food Standards (2015) to
reflect refreshed Government dietary recommendations, and encourage
academies and free schools to commit to the standards;

Clearer food labelling
Key Points (Contd.)

Supporting early years settings - the Children’s Food Trust are currently working
on revised menus for early years settings, with the campaign set to launch in
early 2017;

Harnessing the best technology - working with PHE and Innovate UK to develop
apps to enable consumers to use technology and data to inform eating
decisions;

Enabling health professionals to support families - through the launch of a
resource suite called “Make Every Contact Count”.
National Child Measurement
Programme
Child Overweight & Obesity Rates - Gateshead
2014/15
2015/16
Reception
Healthy Weight
76.30%
77.40%
Underweight
0.90%
0.60%
Overweight
13.30%
12.10%
Very overweight
9.40%
9.90%
Year 6
Healthy Weight
Underweight
Overweight
Very overweight
65%
1%
14.20%
19.80%
61.60%
0.80%
14.90%
22.70%
• Wards with highest rates of overweight & obesity for 2015/16 are:


Windy Nook & Whitehills (Reception) – 31.2%
Felling (Year 6) - 46.7%
• Looking at the latest 3 year rolling averages, the wards with the highest
rates of overweight & obesity are:
 High Fell (Reception) – 32.1%
 Felling (Year 6) – 47.9%
New NCMP resources for Schools and
School Nursing Teams
Our Healthy Year Toolkit – for Reception
and Year 6
Available to download from the Change 4
Life School Zone:
https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/sc
hools
The Daily Mile
• Gateshead is looking to implement a Borough wide Daily Mile
Programme within Primary Schools
• Based on the successful model introduced by St. Ninians Primary
Schools in Stirling
• A very simple, low cost / low resource programme to introduce.
• Has a lot of support from Senior leadership from Public Health, CCG,
Education, NHS
• 2 schools early adopters in Gateshead
• Looking for further Primary schools in Gateshead who would be
interested in participating with a view to a wider role out.
• Aiming to present the idea to the “Talking Heads” group next term
Children’s Weight
Management Services
• Previously, Gateshead had commissioned the Balance It weight management
programme for overweight / obese children and young people.
• This service was decommissioned in March 2016.
• Overweight children identified as part of NCMP to get support from School
Nursing Service. Families to receive support from Live Well Gateshead
• Obese children identified as part of NCMP to seek advice and support from their
GP.
ANY QUESTIONS