Healthy Place, Healthy Weight

What is this mission about?

Being above a healthy weight is a major public health concern across the UK and is associated with a reduction in quality of life and life expectancy.

COVID-19 changed the daily lives of children and their families in ways that are likely to have exacerbated levels of childhood obesity. This included increased levels of food insecurity and long periods of physical inactivity.

These impacts have been disproportionately felt by those communities that already experience the greatest health inequalities in London.

Why are we doing this?

Before the pandemic, most adults in England (63%) were living above a healthy weight. 

Risk of higher weight and associated chronic diseases is especially high among those living in deprivation and some Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. 

This is a real concern and puts individuals at an increased risk of several chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, many cancers, and liver and respiratory disease.

Research also indicates that people who are above a healthy weight are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19.

To recover from the economic, social and health impacts of the pandemic, City Hall has set out a missions-based approach. This will bring together the public, private and voluntary sectors, and involves working with all Londoners to make it a success.

We know that there is no single solution to these challenges and that this mission must focus on the environment in which Londoners live, work and play. This mission seeks to create environments in which Londoners can achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Put communities at the heart of design and action

London is built on its diverse communities, who know and understand their own needs better than anyone else.

Not all communities have been affected by the pandemic in the same way and not all interventions will be suitable for every community.

This mission must work in partnership with communities across London to design and deliver projects that support local needs and improve neighbourhoods.

Accelerate existing partnership action

Engagement lies at the heart of this mission.

A range of partnerships across London already have a number of well-established programmes and strategies that aim to improve London’s healthy food environment and to support a healthy weight. 

The mission will support and complement the work of existing groups, partners and programmes which include: 

• the London Health and Care Vision, with its objective to reduce child obesity
• London’s Child Obesity Taskforce, which committed to halve the rates of child obesity by 2030
• the London Food Board, advising on food issues across the capital and how to develop a better food system for all Londoners.

Build on what we know works

The mission will review the existing evidence to understand what works and what is already successful.

Everyone has a role to play

This applies to all our partners such as the NHS, City Hall and councils. We must work together to create real change.

Focus on early intervention and prevention

The mission will focus on children and families, to support their health and weight from the very start.

Short-term actions:

• Continue to scope and develop plans for key place-based interventions that make local environments healthier. Priority activities include:
  • the expansion of School Superzones
  • supporting more schools to become water-only schools
  • developing and expanding healthier food advertising policies
  • supporting infant feeding, including breastfeeding
  • increasing the range of healthier options in convenience stores and other food businesses
  • promoting food growing.
• Continue to engage with partners through existing networks such as the London Obesity Leads network.
• Work with partners to engage Londoners in mission activities.

Longer-term actions:

• Explore how we can systemically review what is needed locally to unlock progress and agree what the key factors of a whole systems approach are for London.
• Develop an impact tracker, based on agreed factors, to promote whole systems approaches and track progress for the city.
• Champion community-centred approaches, including sharing good practice through webinars, masterclasses and case studies. Evaluate existing approaches to strengthen the evidence base and ensure cultural competency.
• Work closely with other recovery missions and cross-cutting principles to identify opportunities for joint working.

Mission co-leads:

• Kevin Fenton – Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) London (previously Public Health England London)
• Will Tuckley –  London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Lead organisations and partners: OHID, GLA, London Councils, London Food Board, councils, London’s Child Obesity Taskforce (others to be identified through engagement).

We want to create coalitions across the shared interests of all our partners. We are dedicating the next phase of our work to engaging with key partners across the city to ensure that the mission will make a real long-term difference to the lives of Londoners.