No ‘quick fix’ over town’s obesity rates
THERE is no ‘quick or easy fix’ to tackle Stockport’s obesity rates despite progress being made in promoting healthy lifestyles, councillors have said.
A report debated by the council’s adult social care scrutiny committee said recent policy decisions – such as banning takeaways from trading near schools – will help residents choose healthier options.
But it warned ‘piecemeal’ action would be ‘unlikely to yield significant impact on lifestyle choices’.
The council should progress a ‘whole system approach’ along with health service counterparts to tackle the issue, the report adds.
Compiled by a scrutiny review panel, the report recommends the local authority could work with partners to develop an approach ‘that nudged the population toward an environment where people were more active and ate more nutritious food’.
Such an approach would be seen as less ‘punitive’ and therefore more sustainable, the panel said.
Russ Boaler, public health advisor for physical education, sport and activity, referred to the complexity surrounding excess weight and obesity as a ‘difficult area’.
“This issue is nothing new, it has been evolving over decades – and one borough alone will not have the answer to it,” he told the committee meeting.
“However, we need to move forward consistently because changes of this magnitude are not going to happen quickly.”
In its bid to tackle obesity, the authority has launched initiatives to encourage exercise and healthy living, in addition to the takeaway restrictions.
The council also works with schools to implement the National Healthy Schools Programme, which includes nutritional education.
“Developing and implementing a whole system approach to healthy weight would be a significant challenge for any authority,” the report adds.
The document highlights that the borough had one of the lowest levels of obesity in Greater Manchester in 2009.
However, it said the North West as a whole had higher than national average levels of obesity.
The report stated that in 2009, excess weight amongst Stockport adults was 35.1pc, and for obesity it was 15.1pc.
Meanwhile, for children aged five who were classed as overweight or obese it was 18.6pc – and for those aged 11, 29.8pc.
“These stark statistics paint a worrying picture, but they also mask significant variation,” read the report.
“Although the rates for people being overweight or obese are lower than national averages those in the most deprived areas of Stockport are significantly more likely to have excess weight.”
Coun Annette Finnie said it was a good report and truly representative of the community.