Agenda item

The Chair welcomed Sakhti Karunanithi, the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing to the meeting. The Committee was provided with a presentation regarding childhood obesity.

The definition of child excess weight and obesity. Children with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to the 95^th centile of the British 1990 growth reference BMI distribution had been classified as obese. Children with a BMI greater than or equal to the 85^th centile of the British 1990 growth reference BMI distribution had been classified as overweight including obese (excess weight).

The situation in Lancashire was that the National Child Measurement Programme data (2014/15) showed in Lancashire that in the under 12s

Age Group the prevalence in reception age children was 9% and 18% in year 6 (England figures 9% and 19% respectively).

In 2008/09 the obesity prevalence in Lancashire for reception age children was 9.0%. This cohort was now the year 6 population (2014/15) with an obesity prevalence that had doubled to 18%.

Hyndburn (11%) and Lancaster (11%) both had significantly higher rates of obesity in reception age children, compared to England.

Burnley (22%) had a significantly higher rate of obesity in year 6 children compared to England, while Chorley (17%), South Ribble (15%), Ribble Valley (14%) and Fylde (13%) were significantly lower.

The population based childhood obesity prevention strategy had been set up within Government. It included population wide policies and initiatives to do with food, environment, and, physical activity.

There were also community based interventions such as:

·  Engagement

·  Governance

·  Early Years

·  Schools

·  Other child care settings

A plan of action had been set up. There was a soft drinks levy payable on drinks with added sugar. The amount of tax payable depended on the volume and overall sugar content of soft drinks which companies either produced or imported. There was a lot of focus put on hidden sugar in food and drink and there was commitment to take out sugar in products. There was an incentive to promote businesses to be healthier and also make school food healthier.

The Health and Wellbeing Strategy had been developed by Lancashire's Health and Wellbeing Board and its vision was that every citizen in Lancashire would enjoy a long and healthy life. Part of the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) was to create healthy environments in health and care settings to improve diets and support action to reverse trends in childhood obesity. A Unicef baby friendly mark had been achieved by Lancashire's children centres and health settings. There was now a Healthy Weight and Active Lifestyles service available in Lancashire. There were also various community initiatives around childhood obesity and there were campaigns as well such as Be Food Smart which was about making people aware of how much sugar and fat was in our food.

LCC welcomed opportunities to work with early years and schools on childhood obesity, and also work with businesses and dentists. Another opportunity on tackling childhood obesity was through 'Health as a Social Movement'. This was a programme worked to support development and spread of social movements in health and care. There was continued advocacy from LCC for a comprehensive obesity strategy.

Questions and comments by the Committee in relation to the report were as follows:

·  Regarding resources some of the key resources were engagement with head teachers. Health visitors were also a key resource. In terms of LCC's own staff there were really only two people involved with Public Health function linked with supporting schools and they were at a strategic level in terms of commissioning and creating partnerships. There were various groups involved with kick-starting community initiatives and healthy eating campaigns such as mums' networks and some were members grants related initiatives.

·  Members were informed there were national campaigns around healthy eating. LCC tended to choose its local campaigns to be in alignment with the national campaigns. A recent campaign was 'Be Food Smart'. LCC was encouraging people to volunteer in supporting these campaigns and looking at social marketing.

·  Confidence in the measuring of obesity such as the BMI was queried by Members. They were informed that BMI was one of the most robust tools to measure obesity.

·  The Committee stated that many parents thought they were giving their children healthy food and were totally unaware of the hidden sugar content. There was a campaign called 'Be Food Smart' which people could choose to engage in. The Government had a role to raise awareness about what was in the food and what was a healthy food. There was an initiative to increase the access to dentists for children to receive regular, routine checks.

·  LCC had been regularly working with food banks for a number of years. It was a partnership agenda with district councils, the voluntary community faith sector, and, church groups. The partnership was working towards access to free breakfasts in deprived areas of Lancashire.

·  It was pointed out to the Committee the label 'obese' was not used anymore, instead the term 'excess weight' was used.

·  Children faced stress at school and bullying, and, it was noted that stress and obesity were definitely linked.

·  Members felt that school meals had changed for the better and enquired what the status was in schools regarding milk. Children's Universal Services were pushing milk and water in schools. Water and milk were the recommended drinks for children.

·  Regarding the STP the Committee enquired where it was up to with local delivery plans such as 'Our Health Our Care' and 'Transforming Lives'.  Prevention strategy at local delivery plan level should be flagged up within the STP. Committee was informed it was very early days for the STP. It was stated that nationally there had to be a radical upgrade in prevention. The Children and Young People agenda was a priority in the STP.

·  There were no plans at the moment to reduce support for the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI). All children centres and Lancashire Health Care Visitors were accredited at level 3 nationally.. 

·  Members felt it was important to advocate cooking lessons in schools for all children. Schools should encourage healthier lifestyles. Deprived areas had the greatest problems with healthy lifestyles. Schools were enthusiastic about health and wellbeing.

·  It was noted that fresh meat and vegetables were a lot more expensive than pre-packed food. Education on healthier living was fine as long as people had the means. Families had a lot of pressures around money.

·  LCC was working with individuals and families in promoting a healthy diet and encouraging them to be more active. It also had good initiatives at a community level for healthy living. There was also a national policy on healthy lifestyle.

·  The Committee requested the Government actedon the Sugar Tax and greater pressure put on the voluntary agreement the Government was working towards.

·  As a committee concerned with children's health, Members wanted to ensure positive attitudes to healthy eating were promoted.

·  There were concerns about the marketing of food by supermarkets and the affordability of healthy foods.

·  It was noted that there was less childhood obesity with breastfed babies. There was greater scope for success with this. There was 69% of babies breastfed at birth but this dropped to 30% after 6 – 8 weeks.

Resolved:

1)  The Committee note the report

2)  The Committee ask the Government for action on the Sugar Tax. It was agreed that Sakthi would draft a letter on behalf of the Committee