Agenda item
Addressing Childhood Obesity in Tower Hamlets
Presented by Katy Scammell, Associate Director of Public Health.
Minutes:
The Committee received the report of Katy Scammell (Associate Director of Public Health), on addressing childhood obesity in Tower Hamlets.
Discussion following the presentation:
- Councillor Wood made an observation that physical activity was not encouraged enough in the Borough and that the borough lacked ‘quality’ play spaces. Officers said that there was an ongoing programme targeted at refurbishing public play spaces. Councillor Wood said he was aware of the programme but it looked to be replacing old equipment rather than reimagining the spaces.
- Members acknowledged that it was important for the council to intervene to improve young people’s weight management early on as research had shown untreated childhood obesity could result in lasting irreversible damage in adulthood.
- Officers confirmed that there was not a specific programme targeted to children with special educational needs but this was something that was raised during engagement activities and some support would be included in the 2020 Action Plan.
- Public Health was funding a Healthy Families programme and a Holiday Hunger Programme.
- Members asked for clarification on why children were having six meals a day. Officers explained that community insight research had found that children were often consuming their regular meals during the day, then fast food after school, then a high calorie ‘snack’ at their after school faith lesson or club and then a final meal at home. They also said research needed to be conducted to find out why children felt so hungry after school.
- It was noted that Tower Hamlets was relatively late in tackling the proliferation of fast food outlets which had resulted in young people forming a habit of buying fried chicken after school. Members asked whether the council would consider financial incentives to help catering business make a switch to healthier ingredients.
- Officers said Public Health funded a healthy food scheme that worked with caterers to produce healthier food. One recommendation from the evaluation of the programme was to target the scheme at fast food outlets. Officers said they were not aware of research from other local authorities that showed financial incentives were effective but they had learned from the scheme that business could save money by changing way they prepared food and by reducing portion sizes.
- It was suggested that the uptake of fast food amongst school children could be linked to the amount of pocket money they received. A Member said that if on average a child received around £10 pocket money a week, their options were limited to fast food.
- It was noted that there was a school meals working group and discussions from the meeting would be taken back to that group.
- Officers explained that the programmes were not ready to be mapped to certain wards as they were still in the early development phase.
- It was noted that the logic models would form the basis of the action plan. Members were invited to get in touch with officers if they had further input into the action plan being developed.
- Members requested that the action plan be presented to the committee once complete.
RESOLVED:
1. To note the report.
ACTION:
1. For the Childhood Obesity Action Plan to be presented to the Committee once complete.
Supporting documents:
- Addressing Childhood Obesity in Tower Hamlets, item 4. PDF 263 KB
- Appendix 1 - Obesity programme outcomes final, item 4. PDF 286 KB
- Appendix 2 Insight work, item 4. PDF 536 KB
- Appendix 3 - TH Childhood Obesity Logic Models, item 4. PDF 289 KB
- Appendix 4 - Childhood Obesity Metrics, item 4. PDF 112 KB