Childhood Obesity

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In this section we will explain what we are doing to reduce the level of childhood obesity.

• Childhood Obesity
• What have we done to improve this priority?
• What is planned for 2008 – 2009?
• Obesity strategy and action plan
• Children and Young People Health and Physical Development Strategy
• Related information
• Lead Contact

Childhood Obesity

• Obesity is a major public health risk which can cause potential life-threatening problems including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. 

• Overweight and obesity are more common in lower socioeconomic and socially disadvantaged groups and can vary between communities.

What have we done to reduce the level of childhood obesity and those at risk of obesity?

The rate of childhood obesity is improving because:

• A multi-agency Obesity Action Plan is being delivered and is regularly reviewed.

• The City Council has made a range of leisure facilities and activities free at certain times to all children who live in Newcastle through the Fusion card scheme.

• Lean East is the first project of its kind to take a whole system, multi-intervention approach to tackling childhood obesity. It targets 10 primary schools in East Newcastle, where the average childhood rate of overweight and obesity is 41%:
• Free locally produced organic milk and fruit to every school child daily
• Cookery skills classes for children and parents
• Health trainers specialising in diet and nutrition and physical activity in schools and community centres
• Promoting healthy school meals, packed lunches and healthy cooking
• A ‘hoops for health’ healthy lifestyles programme mixed with basketball coaching, in partnership with Newcastle Eagles
• Cycling project on how to ride and maintain bikes
• ‘On the Go Plus’ programme - a 1:1 home visit by a fitness trainer and a 10 week supervised programme at the local gym, including dietary advice to families.
  
• Parents of very overweight children are offered a more intensive 12 week programme, dietary input and access to a psychologist.

• A combination of activity and healthy eating sessions, some of which include recruiting and training volunteers from local communities to increase capacity in the community.

• 99% (93) of schools are engaged in achieving national Healthy School Status (NHSS). The 4 key areas relating to achieving national healthy school status are:
• Personal Social Health Education, including SRE and drugs education
• Healthy Eating
• Physical Activity
• Emotional Health and Wellbeing
• A combination of activity and healthy eating sessions, including recruiting and training volunteers from local communities to increase capacity, include those at:
• West End Health Resource Centre/ Healthworks
• Riverside Community Health project
• Newcastle Action Parents and Toddlers Initiative (NAPI)
• West End Youth Enquiry Service
• Lemington Centre (link to site)
• DeafLink Community Food Initiative

• Pupils receiving 2 hours Sport & PE 2006-7 in KS1 (97%), KS2 (98%), KS3 (90%), KS4 (59%).

What is planned for 2008 – 2009?

The Obesity Action Plan will refresh in line with evidence, needs, and gaps in current service provision and specifically:

• Implementation of Food in Schools action plan (Soon to be published)
• Initiative ways to make school meals more desirable
• Mainstream the successful elements of Lean East across the city
  

Obesity Strategy and Action Plan

• Obesity Strategy (Soon to be published)
• Obesity Action Plan (Soon to be published)

Physical Education and Sport Strategy for Young People

• PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (Pdf 1.1 mb)

Other information you might be interested in: