Tackling Childhood Obesity in Birmingham Linda Hindle Consultant Dietitian, Birmingham Public Health August 2013

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

Childhood Obesity in Birmingham compared to England

Geographical Variation in Year 6 Obesity 2006/ /08 Darker areas highlight higher rates of obesity Year 6

Geographical Variation in Year 6 Obesity 2008/ /10 Darker areas highlight higher rates of obesity

Darker areas highlight higher rates of obesity Geographical Variation in Year 6 Obesity 2010/ /12

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

Our Ambition

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………

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

Our Model

Our Priorities EnvironmentBehaviour changeOpportunities 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

Governance and engagement Supported by user reference groups

How we plan to maintain progress Focus on keeping partners and community engaged through – regular communication, quarterly briefing sheets, engagement events Focus on PR opportunities Scrutiny by steering group and HWB Project planning and monitoring

What has helped so far Engagement Leadership and support Use of media Making the most of links to other strategies Learning from other areas