Tackling inequalities in childhood obesity: Influencing national - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Tackling inequalities in childhood obesity: Influencing national policy

Caroline Cerny, Alliance Lead, Obesity Health Alliance

About Obesity Health Alliance

• 45 organisations
• Speak with one voice on obesity policy

Obesity prevalence by deprivation decile

National Child Measurement Programme 2017/18

3 Patterns and trends in child obesity

Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference

26.8% 25.7% 23.8% 21.9% 20.0% 18.5% 16.9% 15.7% 14.0% 11.7% 12.8% 12.0% 11.0% 10.1% 9.4% 8.5% 7.8% 7.5% 6.8% 5.7%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% Most deprived Least deprived Obesity prevalence Index of Multiple Deprivation 2015 decile

Year 6 Reception

Severe obesity prevalence by deprivation decile

National Child Measurement Programme 2017/18

4 Patterns and trends in child obesity

Child severe obesity: BMI ≥ 99.6th centile of the UK90 growth reference

7.0% 6.2% 5.5% 4.7% 3.9% 3.5% 2.8% 2.7% 2.0%

1.6%

3.8% 3.5% 3.0% 2.6% 2.2% 1.9% 1.6% 1.5% 1.3% 1.0%

0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% Most deprived Least deprived Severe obesity prevalence Index of Multiple Deprivation 2015 decile

Year 6 Reception

Role of national policy

• Population level interventions – likely to have most positive effect on health

inequalities

• Universal interventions to restrict or modify choice – most effective

behaviour change

Agentic Individual decision making Likely increase inequalities Agento- structural Environment + behaviour Impact uncertain Structural Change environment Can reduce inequalities

Policy priorities

PROBLEM POLICY POLITICS

Needed Workable Wanted

Policy priorities

PROBLEM POLICY POLITICS

Needed Workable Wanted Children’s excess sugar and calorie intake Significant variation across categories Some manufacturers leading the way on sugar reduction 83% of public support voluntary reformulation (73% regulation)

Structural: Lower income groups have highest level of sugar in their diets - potential to disproportionately impact inequalities

Policy priorities

PROBLEM POLICY POLITICS

Needed Workable Wanted Voluntary action by some supermarkets show change is possible. 66% of public support supermarkets being made to promote healthier foods Price promotions such as ‘buy one get one free’ and multi-buy offers more common on unhealthy food products.

Structural: Promotions generally cause people with less money to spend more, due to triggering impulse purchasing

Policy priorities

PROBLEM POLICY POLITICS

Needed Workable Wanted The more junk food ads

• n TV young people see,

the more they eat – 500 extra snacks per year Limited restrictions already apply Evidence based tools in place 72% of public support 9pm watershed / 70% support restrictions

• nline

65% of MPs

Structural: Teens from more deprived backgrounds 40% more likely to recall seeing ads – potential to disproportionately impact inequalities

Looking ahead… a new narrative?

Child obesity is a problem heavily skewed to particular groups, demanding community-level solutions targeted at where the problem is to maximise effectiveness. "If we want kids to lose weight we should encourage kids to walk and cycle to school and generally do more

• exercise. It’s calories in,

and calories out. “Taxes on treats hits those on lowest incomes. We should be #freetochoose.”

Thank you

caroline.cerny@obesityhealthalliance.org.uk @OHA_updates