Cllr Steve Bedser

Cabinet Member Health & Wellbeing

Health and Social Care Overview and

Scrutiny Committee

Childhood Obesity Inquiry

Sexual Health

Childhood Obesity - A Public Health Crisis

40% Birmingham children leave primary school either overweight or obese

Childhood Obesity

Sexual Health

Birmingham Health and Wellbeing

Strategy

• Priority to reduce childhood obesity

• Ambitious and aspirational target

• Reduce childhood overweight and obesity within 5 years

Childhood Obesity

Sexual Health

A first for Birmingham

• Joint strategic priority to reduce childhood obesity across Local Authority and NHS

• Strong political and strategic leadership

Childhood Obesity

Sexual Health

What is driving this crisis

• Changes in eating habits

• Reductions in activity

Childhood Obesity

Sexual Health

Changes to our eating patterns over

last 50 years.

•Increase in

convenience/ready to eat

food.

•More food eaten outside

the home.

•Less home

cooking/growing.

•Reduction in skills and

time to prepare meals.

Childhood Obesity

Sexual Health

Changes to our eating patterns over last 50 years

• Changes to shopping

habits.

• Move from family meals to

‘grab and go’.

• Change in proportion of

income spent on food.

• Social norms.

• Larger portion sizes.

Childhood Obesity

Sexual Health

Standard servings 1955 and 2001

Childhood Obesity

1955

Fries 72g

Coke 200ml

2001

Fries 205g

Coke 950ml

Sexual Health

Changes in our activity levels over the

last 50 years• Reduced occupational activity

• Increase in labour saving devices

• More sedentary behaviour e.g. screen time

• Reduction in perceived safety -> reduced outside play

Childhood Obesity

Sexual Health

Calorie Usage – Changes over 50 years

Childhood Obesity

Per week 1950s/2000s

Shopping on foot/car & supermarket 2400/275

Washing clothes by hand/machine 1500/270

Making a coal fire/gas fire 1300/3

Per hour

Hand lawn mower/electric mower 500/180

No power steering/with it 96/75

Sexual Health

What needs to happen?• No simple solution

• Multiple interventions required simultaneously

• Focus on:

• Behaviour

• Environment

• Opportunities

Childhood Obesity

Sexual Health

Alignment of strategic plans to support a

reduction in childhood obesity

Childhood

obesity

Birmingham

Mobility

Action Plan

CCG Plans

Food

Charter

Green Living

Spaces Plan

Cycling &

Walking

Ambition

Birmingham

Development

Plan

District Plans

(8/10 )

Childhood Obesity