Council chosen to spearhead childhood obesity programme

Rochdale Council is to join 12 other local authorities in spearheading a new initiative to tackle childhood obesity.

The local authority has been chosen to take part in the initial ‘discovery phase’ of the Childhood Obesity Trailblazer programme, which will trial new approaches to combating the problem.

Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, the initiative will focus on children from more deprived backgrounds, who tend to be less healthy than their more affluent peers.

The council – which was among 102 local authorities to apply – will receive initial funding of £10,000 for the discovery phase, as well as support to develop a detailed proposal for the full three-year programme.

It could then become one of up to five councils selected as ‘trailblazer’ authorities, and put its plans into action, receiving £100,000 worth of funding and project support each year.

The latest National Child Measurement Programme shows that 10.1% of Rochdale’s reception class children are obese, rising to 23.8% by Year 6, when children are aged 10 and 11.

In Rochdale borough, a large proportion of the population live in deprived areas. And it is known children from these type of backgrounds are more than twice as likely to be obese – and more than four times as likely to be severely obese – than those from the most affluent towns and cities.

Councillor Sara Rowbotham, Rochdale Council’s health cabinet member said she was delighted the borough had been chosen to take part in the scheme.

She said: “This is something really exciting to celebrate. I’m really excited about it and absolutely happy to support it.

“We have got some good innovative initiatives: GULP (Give Up Loving Pop) and Walk a Mile Every Day.

"We have seen some success around all of that, especially children walking to school rather than going in cars.

“This opportunity means we can build on these innovative ideas, it’s really exciting. We have some really dedicated staff who will put their all into making sure this is a big success.”

 

 

Her comments were echoed by children’s services cabinet member Councillor Kieran Heakin, who said: “We really do need to do something to combat the obesity epidemic among our children. Anything we can do in that respect is very welcome.”

Councillor Heakin told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he was ‘very worried’ about children who are overweight, as it can lead to a range of health problems and even affect their future employment opportunities.

“It’s a big education task,” he said. “We have to educate families about healthy eating, cutting down on sugar and fats in schools; it’s a big project.”

Councillor Heakin says children are often given a bags of crisps to take to school as a snack, when it’s cheaper to buy six apples from the supermarket.

He added: “There are healthy snack options on the market, parents should be educated for the future health of their children, so they can give them healthy options, rather than unhealthy ones.”

The 12-week discovery phase will start in early February. 

The three-year trailblazer programme, managed by the Local Government Association and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care with support from Public Health England, will see councils take the lead in developing new and innovative projects.

The results of each ‘trailblazer’ authority’s programme will then be used to share learning and best practice to encourage greater action on a wider scale.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, chairman of the LGA’s community wellbeing board, said: “Childhood obesity remains one the most serious challenges facing local authorities, who have responsibility for public health, and for society more widely.”

He added: “No child should be at a disadvantage in life because of where they are from and this programme aims to support councils to reduce this gap, with a view to preventing children from becoming obese in the first place and able to live healthy and fulfilling lives.”

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter