Index of information on this page:
People who are overweight or obese
More details about these headline statistics
is available in the NHS North of Tyne Strategic Health Needs
Assessment 2009/10. (link needed)
Context
Obesity is a multi-factorial problem consisting
of a complex interplay of different environmental, biological and
social determinants. It requires a multi-agency response and
cross agency funding and monitoring to both prevent and manage the
issues arising.
Obesity may be considered a disease in itself
and as a risk for other diseases. For children, obesity can result
in Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and psychological problems.
For adults, additionally, it may result in Coronary Heart Disease
and some cancers.
The Foresight Report
referred to the ‘complex web of societal and biological factors
that have, in recent decades, exposed our inherent human
vulnerability to weight gain’. Societal and environmental
factors highlight the need for Health Trusts to work in partnership
with other statutory and non statutory organisations to, for
example, increase access to physical activity, increase cycling
lanes and safe routes to school, to influence media coverage.
Increasing the numbers of women who choose to
breastfeed their babies remains an important priority in improving
health and reducing health inequalities. The importance of
improving breastfeeding rates is recognised nationally and locally
since it contributes to both short term and long term benefits to
child and maternal health.
- Breastfeeding helps protect babies from: ear
infections; gastro-intestinal infections, chest infections, urine
infections, childhood diabetes, eczema; obesity; and
asthma.
- Breastfeeding helps protect mothers against:
ovarian cancer, breast cancer; and weak bones later in life.
There are clear associations between lack of
physical activity and levels of obesity and between poor diet and
levels of obesity.
Key Messages
- Obesity remains a relatively new area requiring
investment against a backdrop of a significant increase in
prevalence. The need to fund prevention to reduce chronic
disease and future heavy costs to the NHS cannot be under
estimated.
- Based on the Foresight Report, it is estimated
that the costs to NHS North of Tyne for morbidity caused by obesity
will escalate to £103 million by 2015 if the current trend in
obesity prevalence continues.
- There is a mismatch between need and current
capacity for prevention and treatment services for obesity -
including weight management programmes, drug prescribing and
bariatric surgery.
- Government targets on halting the increase in
child hood obesity are currently being met
- Despite the widely acknowledged benefits of
breastfeeding the percentage of women who choose to breastfeed
their babies in the three North of Tyne PCOs is well below the
national average.
- There is a clear need for better data about the
lifestyle choices people make about diet and physical activity
across Northumberland.
What we know
National
- Levels of obesity in England have trebled since
the 1980s.
- In England in 2005, 22.1% of men and 24.3% of
women were classified as obese and almost two thirds of all adults
were either overweight or obese.
- The Foresight Report, 2007 forecasts that
without action, by 2050 60% of men and 40% of women could be obese,
and obesity related diseases could cost an extra £45.5 billion per
year.
- The
UK Infant Feeding Survey, 2005 reported an England prevalence
for breastfeeding initiation of 78%; data from maternity units
reported through the NHS Omnibus Survey reported prevalence of 70%
for 2007/08.
- The UK Infant Feeding Survey, 2005 reported an
England prevalence for sustaining breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks of
50%.
- Data from the
Health Survey for England for 2003-2005 shows that across
England 26.3% of adults consume five or more portions of fruit and
vegetables each day.
- The Annual Survey of School Sport Partnerships
reports that across England 90.0% of 5-16 year olds spent at least
two hours per week on high quality PE and school sport.
- The
Active People Survey reports that 10.8% of adults across
England participate in moderate intensity sport and active
recreation 5 or more times per week.
Regional
- In the absence of robust local data,
synthetic estimates based on the Health Survey for England are used
to compare smoking prevalence in adults (aged 16 years and over) at
regional level. These show that for 2003-2005 estimated
obesity prevalence for the North East region was 23.6%.
Further information is available from: http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/
- The NHS Omnibus Survey reported a North East
prevalence for breastfeeding initiation of 54% in 2008/09.
- Data form the Health Survey for England for
2003-2005 shows that across the North East 18.5% of adults consume
five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
- The Annual Survey of School Sport Partnerships
reports that across the North East 90.5% of 5-16 year olds
spent at least two hours per week on high quality PE and school
sport.
- The Active People Survey reports that 10.6% of
adults across the North East participate in moderate intensity
sport and active recreation 5 or more times per week
Local
- In the absence of robust local data,
synthetic estimates based on the Health Survey for England are used
to compare smoking prevalence in adults (aged 16 years and over) in
local authorities. These show that for 2003-2005 estimated
obesity prevalence for Northumberland was 26.0% - however looking
at the former districts of Northumberland estimated prevalence
ranged from 22.0% in Tynedale to 27.8% in Wansbeck. Further
information is available from: http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/
- Northumberland also has an average
estimated adult obesity prevalence when compared to similar PCTs
(using the Prospering Smaller Towns Group of the
ONS Area Classification).
- Local commitment to the National Child
Measurement programme (NCMP) continues to provide annual data on
childhood obesity for children in Reception class (aged 4-5 years)
and Year 6 (aged 10-11 years)
- Coverage rates have improved year on year
across Northumberland so that in 2008/09 94% of eligible children
in Reception class and 89% of eligible children in Year 6 were
height/weight measured. .
- Data for 2008/09 show that:
- 14.7% of children height/weight measured
across the county were found to be obese. This included 9.8%
of Reception class children (NI 55) and 16.8% of Year 6 children
(NI 56)
- There has been a slight increase in those
recorded as being ‘overweight’ (15.0% of Reception class children
and 14.4% of year 6 children), possibly due to the drop in obesity,
indicating a need to increase our early years work.
- Whilst all children who are obese are of
concern, obesity in boys increases dramatically from reception to
year 6.
- There is a strong correlation between obesity
rates and areas that experience greater levels of disadvantage,
e.g. Hirst, Seaton Valley.
- Northumberland has a relatively high
obesity prevalence for reception class children and an average
obesity prevalence for year 6 children when compared to similar
PCTs (using the Prospering Smaller Towns Group of the
ONS Area Classification).
- The NHS Omnibus Survey reported a
Northumberland prevalence for breastfeeding initiation of 58% in
2008/09.
- At 38.9%, breastfeeding sustaining rates
at 6-8 weeks after birth are below the national average (NI 53),
and inequalities exist within the county with rates in the south
east corner being significantly lower than the county
average.
- Northumberland has a relatively low
reported prevalence of breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks after birth when
compared to similar PCTs (using the Prospering Smaller Towns Group
of the
ONS Area Classification).
- Data form the Health Survey for England for
2003-2005 shows that across Northumberland 20.0% of adults consume
five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
- Northumberland has the lowest estimated
prevalence of healthy eating (i.e., eating 5 a day fruit and
vegetables) when compared to similar PCTs (using the Prospering
Smaller Towns Group of the
ONS Area Classification).
- Data form the Health Survey for England for
2003-2005 shows that across the North East 18.5% of adults consume
five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
- The Annual Survey of School Sport Partnerships
reports that across the Northumberland 90.7% of 5-16 year
olds spent at least two hours per week on high quality PE and
school sport.
- Northumberland has an average percentage
of school children participating in at least 2 hours of high
quality physical activity per week when compared to similar PCTs
(using the Prospering Smaller Towns Group of the
ONS Area Classification).
- The Active People Survey reports that 11.2% of
adults across Northumberland participate in moderate intensity
sport and active recreation 5 or more times per week
- Northumberland has an average percentage of
adults across Northumberland participate in moderate intensity
sport and active recreation 5 or more times per week when compared
to similar PCTs (using the Prospering Smaller Towns Group of the
ONS Area Classification).
- We know that health and well being are
important to schools as 90% of Northumberland’s schools have
achieved the healthy schools standard, and significantly more
Northumberland pupils can access 2 hours or more PE than is the
case nationally (NI 57).
What people have told us
Local engagement work
Social marketing
During 2010/11 social marketing and
communications approaches will be systematic applied within the
obesity programme across North of Tyne to help achieve the health
related behaviour goals.
Surveys
From the most recent TellUs
survey it has been reported that the satisfaction of children
and young people with current play space provision of young people
are relatively poor.
Policy and Research
National
Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: strategy
Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross-Government strategy for
England was published in January 2008 as the first step in a
sustained programme to combat obesity and support people to
maintain a healthy weight.
Change4Life
Change4Life is England’s first ever national social marketing
campaign to promote healthy weight. It aims to prevent people
from becoming overweight by encouraging them to eat well, move more
and live longer. The campaign began in January 2009 and supports
the overall Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives strategy.
The National Obesity Observatory for England
The National Obesity Observatory was established to provide a
single point of contact for wide-ranging authoritative information
on data and evidence related to obesity, overweight, underweight
and their determinants.
Regional
The North East's first ever health and
wellbeing strategy was launched in February 2008. This
ambitious plan aims to transform the region into the healthiest in
England within a generation. Obesity, diet and physical
activity is one of the key themes of this strategy.
Local
The ambitious five year plan aims to improve well-being and
health for almost 800,000 people living across Newcastle, North
Tyneside and
Northumberland. The Plan has been developed within the
context of health needs assessment which shows that many of the
major health conditions for the population are linked to lifestyle
choices. There is a clear link to the indicators that we have
selected as World Class Commissioning (WCC) outcomes - including
the measure of obesity prevalence in year 6 children and the
measure of sustaining breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks after birth.
Annual operational plan
The North of Tyne annual operational plan sets out the
developments we are planning over the next year to improve health
and well-being and health services across Newcastle, North Tyneside
and Northumberland. The plan has been drafted in line with
national and local priorities and reflects discussions we have had
over the past year with key partners including members of the
public.
The current Sustainable Community Strategy for
Northumberland was adopted by the partnership in September 2007 and
covers the period to 2021. It outlines an aspirational
long-term vision for the communities of Northumberland and defines
a series of shared priority outcomes that form the basis for
delivering a fundamental step change to the quality of life in
Northumberland. “Lead healthier lifestyles” is one of the key
themes of the strategy. The Strategy will be updated during
2010/11.
Local Area Agreement
Northumberland’s
Local Area Agreement 2008-2011, and refreshed targets
as at March 2010 include a targets for the prevalence of
obesity in Reception class children and children in year 6.
A strategy to improve health and well-being in
Northumberland, published in 2007, includes tackling obesity as a
priority.
Our Priorities for the
Future
Key priorities are:
- Improving the physical health of children and
young people, especially focusing on those living in more
disadvantaged communities.
- Integrated care pathways for obesity (children
and adults) have been developed across North of Tyne.
However, further investment is essential to scale up prevention and
early intervention work, especially to increase capacity in
targeted intervention programmes and treatment of obesity through
more drugs, prior to consideration for surgery.
- We need to increase capacity across the
statutory, third and commercial sectors to deal with increased
demand; to develop more emphasis on the ‘life course approach’
where interventions are targeted across peoples lives, and not just
focused on children; and to link our interventions to the demand
resulting from the national social marketing campaign.
- The regional Health and Wellbeing Strategy
emphasises the need to scale up obesity drug prescribing and
bariatric surgery to meet demand. Estimated costs to the NHS
for North of Tyne related to obesity morbidity are set to rise from
£69million in 2007/08 to £103 million in 2015 if the current trend
in rise in obesity continues.
- Improving the rate of initiating and
sustaining breastfeeding in more disadvantaged communities
- Accessible and effective activities promoting
healthier food choices should be commissioned to improve North of
Tyne population’s health.
- Accessible and effective activities promoting
healthier physical activity choices should be commissioned to
improve North of Tyne population’s health.
