Department of health west midlands

Department of Health West Midlands
Obesity Update Bulletin
October 2009
project, targeted at pregnant mothers with a BMI of 30 or above and in receipt of Healthy Good Practice
promote healthy eating, increased activity, Please Share Your Experience with Us
introduction of solid foods. The aim is to Within the next week or so a Good Practice page will be added to each section of the families develop healthy eating habits and activity levels and prevent future obesity. blank template at the top of the page, please Six sites have been selected to participate – enter as many examples of good practice/ allocate them to the appropriate page of the Change4Life
developed by the project in conjunction with Everyone supporting Change4Life at local level, including all health care practitioners register on the Change4Life website so that available from Rachel Walker, Project Lead, they receive future newsletters. You can Let‟s Get Moving –
physical activity care pathway
The website contains local examples of good practice, national, regional and local data and has regular updates and network links to Methods to Promote Physical Activity, which endorses the delivery of brief interventions for physical activity in primary care as both Maternal and Early Years Healthy Weight
clinically and cost effective in the long term. The launch of Let‟s Get Moving provides a Pilots of a new service targeting pregnant unique opportunity to embed the promotion mums and those with children under the age of physical activity at the very core of the of 2 to prevent obesity have started across NHS, offering a major opportunity for health the West Midlands. The Investing for Health The Secretary of State for Health would like Increase in Use of Children on
PCTs to consider the benefits of including Anti-Obesity Drugs
The number of children on anti-obesity drugs has soared 15-fold over the past decade. Researchers estimate that 1,300 under-18s surgeries to advise them about this initiative may be on the drugs, even though they are and how they can commission it. They are only licensed for use by adults. Guidance also planning on contacting Directors of from the National Institute for Health and Commissioning, Directors of Public Health, Clinical Excellence (NICE), advises that the drugs should only be considered for children Surgery Practice Managers with information about what the pathway is, the clinical and study, which analysed the use of orlistat (Xenical), sibutramine (Reductil) and rimonabant (Acomplia) in children up to the age of 18, is published in the British Journal Express, 3 Sep 2009, p22; Mail, 3 Sep 2009, StreetGames StreetCheer
p4; Sun, 3 Sep 2009, p31; Telegraph, 3 Sep A new dance project, which is part of the Standard Evaluation Framework
of the West Midlands‟ Culture Programme for Weight Management Interventions
for London 2012, will be launched on Sunday, 18 October. It will be run by The aim of the Single Evaluation Framework (SEF) is to support high quality, consistent sports organisation for young people with the dance format of StreetCheer, this dance format combines cheerleading with modern street dancing. The SEF provides introductory guidance on „essential‟ and „desirable‟ criteria. Essential StreetCheer event at Fenton Manor Leisure recommended data for evaluating a weight For further information on the StreetGames management intervention. Desirable criteria are additional data that would enhance the describes why particular criteria have been categorised as essential or desirable, and Children “Need Water Fountains”
gives further information on collecting data. The SEF will be essential reading to those commissioning, running or evaluating weight exercise for children but campaigners say its effects are negated by a lack of drinking water. The Children‟s Food Campaign says few parks have water fountains so children buy fizzy drinks to quench their thirst. The National Obesity Observatory will be evaluating the usefulness and impact of the Healthy KID5
quantitative and qualitative data, including involved in this evaluation, or if you have RECENTLY PUBLISHED
The “Healthy Kid5” pack was recently launched at St Luke‟s Primary School, Change4Life
- Reference Materials
Healthy Kid5 is a reference source and
practical guide for health and community workers (and children and their parents) on Walsall PCT found the 8 Lifestyle Changes and Language Guidelines for Change4Life and wrote to DH to comment “This is great. work with children under five and as part dieticians, health visitors and Children‟s Healthy Kid5 contains a wide variety of
ideas for fun and interactive activities Healthy Weight Healthy Lives in the West
Midlands – One Year On
This report is now available on the West Healthy Kid5 can be used in a variety of
Eating Matters in Schools in the West
Midlands
This report, by the Regional Food in Schools Action Group, covers the period April 2008 to March 2009. It is available on the West Midlands Food Website:- Children‟s Centre activities or events. Healthy Kid5 supports the key messages of
the Government‟s Change4Life campaign – Eat Well, Move More and Live Longer, and it Promoting the benefits of outdoor play and practice in the “Staffordshire Child Healthy Weight” framework (2009). Additionally, „The Body Factory‟ CD which
was developed as a result of a successful funding application to The Health Foundation (previously named PPP Foundation) – Electronics Resources Grant It‟s Fun to be Active
In order to stay healthy, all children should be active every day and most are, but don‟t realise it. Other children need to be more The It‟s Fun to be Active books use cartoon This is a creative, fun and interactive KS1 children into thinking about physical learn about eating well, staying healthy activity. The book follows a class of children over five days as they do their class topic of being healthy. At the back of the big book are discussion points, Literacy links and Body Factory has been independently
teachers to ensure „discovering about healthy living becomes a learning adventure’. The linked website will be up Together for Children
Dr Sandra Passmore, PSHE & Citizenship If you are interested in Play, you may like to School Travel Update
Travel Advisers‟ work and findings should School Travel Advisers are working hard to see 100% of schools with a travel plan by Management Strategy for Schools (closing March 2010, a target set by the DCSF/DfT date 20 November). DCSF is consulting with Travelling to School Initiative back in 2004. schools and stakeholders to gather views 86% of the region's schools now have travel greenhouse gas emissions from the schools campaign in May in partnership with Guide school travel and transport, the document appropriately includes a raft of possible interventions and initiatives including an Challenge' for secondary schools. This will car free zones around schools and greener delivering a whole-school car free campaign from 26 April to 7 May 2010. Evidence of the fortnight will be submitted, including before and after mode of travel data, to see FORTHCOMING EVENTS
what uptake there was by more sustainable Play WM Regional Network Event
24 November 2009
Birmingham in September 2010 for winning entries. All the good ideas will be added to a campaign guide for distribution to all schools DH West Midlands and given Walk4Life and The theme is vulnerable children and play. Bike 4Life branding include phase 2 of the The event will comprise a series of short 'Health Inequalities: School Travel Cycle talks/presentations followed by workshops. If you are interested in attending, please opportunities for graduates of Getting Our Exercise, Nutrition, Do it (MEND) and Self WANT AN ARTICLE IN THE
Help Independence, Nutrition & Exercise NEXT EDITION?
(SHINE) weight management courses in Shropshire, Sandwell and Solihull and If you would like an article included in the next (January) newsletter, please email it, a pedometer based Walking Challenge pilot With the Travelling to School Initiative coming to an end, DCSF and DfT have commissioned a national evaluation of the school travel plan programme and School

Source: http://www.obesitywm.org.uk/resources/Bulletin_October_2009.pdf