A comprehensive, new approach to tackle childhood obesity in Cambridgeshire has been agreed.
Councillors have given their back to a new, wide-ranging service which will deliver prevention and early intervention activities to bring down the high numbers of children who are said to be overweight.
The latest completed figures from before the Covid pandemic (2018/19) showed that 17.7% of Reception class pupils and 27% of Year 6 pupils in the county were classed as overweight or obese. Measuring has been taking place at schools in 2020/21, and while the results have yet to be validated, they are likely to be the second highest on record for the percentage of overweight/obese children.
In a bid to bring these numbers down, the county council’s Children’s and Young People Committee has agreed a new five-year, £2.275 million contract to commission a Child Weight Management service. The service will be run jointly with Peterborough City Council, subject to its approval, with the county council taking on the role as lead commissioner and paying the higher amount (£1.75 million compared to £525,000 from Peterborough).
Currently, £350,000 a year is spent in Cambridgeshire from a public health grant to address childhood obesity through community-based prevention and treatment interventions. The new service will expand on this work through a multi-disciplinary team who could address the multiple, and often complex issues, which children and their families face.
There will be a single point of contact for those requiring treatment, with access coming either through self-referral or from a professional.
Initially, those requiring support would be assessed by a child health practitioner, while follow-up interventions/assessments could come from a range of different experts including dieticians, physical activity specialists, psychologists or GPs.
Cllr Bryony Goodliffe, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Children and Young People Committee, said: “The percentages of children who are classed as overweight or obese has risen in recent years and is something we urgently need to address.
“Early intervention is crucial, as underlying health conditions can develop from an early age which may require long-term treatment, while being overweight can also bring low self-esteem. Moreover, prevention is the best cure and can save our health services both time and money.
“By working together with Peterborough, subject to its approval, we can deliver a more comprehensive service, bringing health professionals together through a single point of access, which will deliver the best outcomes for children across both areas.”
