Obesity in Tamworth

Last year Tamworth was reported to be the worst place in England for obesity.

However, the league table quoted is misleading because the data used dates back to 2008 and does not take into account what has been done during the last three years to combat obesity across Tamworth.

A report has been produced that looks at the various causes of obesity for all ages and highlights the initiatives put in place and the extensive work carried out by Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council and its partners to improve the overall health and wellbeing for all residents of Tamworth.

Both Tamworth Borough Council and its public sector partners are keen to promote an active and healthy lifestyle amongst our residents.  In 2009, there were just over 9,000 adults in Tamworth enjoying active sport or exercise.  Today it is over 11,000, thus we are moving in the right direction.

• All Tamworth Borough Council staff are offered regular help and advice on health and wellbeing
• In addition to the PE sessions in Schools, Tamworth Borough Council provides additional physical activities in the after school clubs and mobile activity sessions in the localities for children
• Staffordshire County Council actively supports the National Healthy Schools programme where schools are encouraged to achieve Healthy Schools Status using a whole school approach.  All of the 32 schools (primary & Secondary) in Tamworth participated in the Healthy Schools programme.  26 of Tamworth’s schools have achieved healthy school status and the remaining 6 schools are working towards healthy school status
• South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust supports Change4Life – a nationwide movement to help our kids to ‘eat well, move more and live longer’
• All food provided by local authorities must meet national nutritional standards.  These ensure that children are provided with a healthy, balanced diet.  The new standards, introduced in September 2006, require the following: high-quality meat, poultry or oily fish regularly available, at least two portions of fruit and vegetables with every meal, bread, other cereals and potatoes regularly available
• Additionally, there are controls on the following foods: deep-fried food limited to no more than two portions per week, fizzy drinks, crisps, chocolate and other confectioneries removed from school meals and vending machines
• NHS LifeCheck is jointly promoted by Tamworth Borough Council and the South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust.  NHS LifeCheck is a free online service designed to help improve the health of all, after answering eight simple questions, LifeCheck will give results and advice tailored to age, gender and lifestyle – www.nhs.uk/lifecheck
• Tamworth Lifestyle service has been up and running in Tamworth since July 2009 and is now well established with all local GP practices referring into the service.  The Tamworth Lifestyle team is made up of eight Lifestyle Advisors who give motivational and behaviour change support to clients in the areas of weight management, health eating, physical activity, smoking cessation and reduced alcohol consumption
• Over the past 2 years there have been over 2400 referrals for the people of Tamworth.  This has lead to around 10,000 contacts with clients, lasting between 30 minutes and an hour.  Through working with a lifestyle advisor 69% of clients have either achieved or part achieved their
• On average people who have accessed the service have: increased their fruit and vegetable consumption from 3.4 to 5.3 Portions per day (meeting the government 5-a-day target), increased their level of moderate physical activity from 2.9 to 5.7 sessions per week (meeting the 5×30 minutes a week national recommendation), reduced their daily consumption of fatty snacks from 5.1 to 2.1 portions per day

The Borough Council’s Community and Wellbeing committee will review the report on obesity in Tamworth at its next meeting, due to be held on Wednesday 18 January at Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth.