Gloucestershire Healthy Weight Bulletin - December 2018

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Support to be a healthy weight is a key priority for Gloucestershire’s Health and Wellbeing Board and the Integrated Care System (ICS).

The recent National Children Measurement Programme (NCMP) data for Gloucestershire shows that 1 in 10 children (10%) are living with obesity by the time they start school. This figure is higher than the average for England (9.5%).

By Year 6, 17.8% of children are living with obesity. This figure is lower than the average for England (20.1%).

Whilst there have been some year on year fluctuations for both year groups since data collection began, overall we’ve not seen a reduction.

Gloucestershire data mirrors the national trend with those living in more deprived areas more likely to be affected by obesity. Similarly, children from black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds and those living in urban areas are also disproportionately affected.

Gloucestershire County Council has formed a small working group of stakeholders to drive our local response to this agenda. This group is developing a wider 'systems network' of stakeholders to grow our approach. It reports to the Gloucestershire Health and Wellbeing Board.

Gloucestershire’s Whole Systems Approach to Obesity  

To date, there has been limited success in reversing obesity rates at a population level. Where some headway has been made (in South West Victoria, Australia and Amsterdam), the general consensus is that these areas have implemented a whole systems approach to obesity.

A whole systems approach should include preventative action to address social, behavioural and environmental determinants, as well as effective weight management interventions for individuals and families who exceed a healthy weight. These efforts and actions must be aligned to ensure an effective systems approach. 

Whole system approaches are under-developed in the UK. In response to this, a national programme was set up to co-produce guidance with Leeds Beckett University (LBU). Gloucestershire County Council was selected to participate in this programme, and has been working with LBU to develop tools and resources since March 2016.

The Food and Families Project

We're applying the whole systems methodology developed with Leeds Beckett University with the local community in Podsmead (in Gloucester). The aim is to learn as we go and then take the learning to other communities.

The first step has been to work with the community to gain insight into the barriers and enablers to eating well in Podsmead.

This work has been led by Evolving Communities who provide Healthwatch Gloucestershire and a panel of community representatives.

Here are a few emerging themes and quotes taken directly from the residents of Podsmead:

The next steps will be to engage with members of the community to co-develop an action plan. This will start with a community event in the new year. This is an opportunity to engage with the community and start to identify what collective action needs to happen.

To read Healthwatch Gloucestershire's full report, please click here.

Children’s Weight Management

Gloucestershire County Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group (GCCG) are currently working together to commission new healthy weight services for children.

This service will be co-produced with children and families affected by obesity and will provide:

• Self-care information and resources, such as apps
• Assessments, signposting, light-touch support and onward referrals for families affected by severe obesity
• A flexible approach to interventions in the areas of highest need
• Support to enable services working with children to deliver brief interventions and signpost to self-care

This service is expected to commence in April 2019.

Gloucestershire's Healthy Lifestyles Service

As many of you are aware, Gloucestershire’s Healthy Lifestyles Service (HLS Glos) has been up and running since January 2017. This integrated service supports people with a range of lifestyle behaviours including weight management. The support available includes online information, 1:1 coaching and a 12 week referral to Slimming World (SW).

In 2017/18, a total of 1087 people using HLS Glos and SW lost at least 5% of their starting weight, which is sufficient for health benefits. Of these, 289 were supported by HLS Glos and together they lost a whopping 2,672kgs (421 stones) – which is equivalent to 3 African elephants or 32 fully grown adults! The service really values the feedback it gets from those that have used it – here are just a few things that people had to say…

‘I am SO thankful for the referral. It has changed mine and my family’s eating habits for the better. I am even going to fitness classes, something I have avoided doing for years. I will be fit and healthy at 40, thank you all so much!’

‘I maintained my weight as well as quitting smoking.’

‘I was able to come off my diabetes medication.’

HLS Glos is also working with maternity colleagues to develop an additional extended programme of lifestyle behaviour support for the most vulnerable pregnant women. More information on this programme will be available in the next newsletter.

To find out more about the Healthy Lifestyles Service, please visit http://www.hlsglos.org/ or call 0800 122 3788.

Gloucestershire Moves Gloucestershire Moves is a completely new way of working which aims to increase the number of people who are physically active, so that they become happier and healthier. The latest national survey results from Sport England show that the number of people in the county who are inactive has not changed in the last 12 months, and this compares to a more positive picture across England where people are becoming more active. Gloucestershire Moves aims to change the culture around activity so that it becomes a social norm. It is a behaviour change approach which is built on an understanding of all of the factors that influence physical activity, for example environments, social networks, confidence and motivation.

The Gloucestershire Moves approach will be tested over 3 years to learn about what works to increase physical activity. Active Gloucestershire is working with partners across the local system so that the approach is collectively owned within the county.

If you would like to know more about Gloucestershire Moves please visit www.gloucestershiremoves.org  

The Daily Mile

The Daily Mile is a simple initiative aimed at getting children running or jogging for 15 minutes once a day whilst at school. This opportunity to exercise doubles up as a social activity as children run with their friends at their own pace in the fresh air. It has been very successful in Gloucestershire, with lots of children and staff members embracing the daily challenge. Click on the image below to watch a short video about the Daily Mile in Gloucestershire.

The Daily Mile has really taken off in Gloucestershire, with more than 127 schools now participating! If you would like to get involved or find out more about the benefits, please visit Active Gloucestershire or http://www.thedailymile.co.uk/

The Healthy Weight working group is developing a local dashboard to bring together all sources of local data on this agenda to help us track how we are doing.  

We'd like you to keep in touch

We'll be in touch when we have more to share. If you are aware of other people who may be interested in joining the mailing list, please feel free to forward this email onto them so that they can contact us.