Bradford Council collects data to reduce childhood obesity

Bradford Council is collecting data on children’s eating habits as one in three children in the city are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school.

Tim Howells, head of public health at Bradford Council, said there was a lack of data on children’s eating habits that needed to be understood.

There was a link between the inequality and deprivation seen in Bradford and obesity, he said.

Findings from the Bradford Childrens Food Survey will be used by the council’s public health team and schools to inform decision-making on reducing obesity.

“There’s very little data around,” Mr Howells said.

“This is particularly important for our first- and second-generation migrants, where there is limited – if not non-existent – ​​data.”

The council estimated that around one in five children in reception are overweight or obese, rising to one in three by the time they leave primary school.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which provides guidelines for the NHS, published a report last year which said “people in deprived areas often face significant barriers to accessing affordable healthy food”.

Mr Howells said: “Healthy food generally costs more.

“In times of cost of living crisis, people are more likely to have access to cheaper food, which is generally less healthy.”

He added: “Their opinions are decided for them based on what is available.”

Mr Howell said this was demonstrated by both the abundance of unhealthy takeaways in an area – known as a food swamp – and the lack of healthy options – a food desert.

He said: “You’re more likely to find food deserts and food swamps in urban, deprived areas,” citing the Manningham area of ​​Bradford as an example.

Mr Howell said three steps could be taken.

The first was by incentivizing behavioral changes, such as giving people vouchers to buy healthy food.

Another was to support takeaway suppliers over a three-year period to improve their healthy eating practice.

Bradford Council has a pilot running for this, working with 10 takeaways to make their menus healthier.

The final measure was the implementation of marketing policies that ensured that advertised foods with high amounts of sugar and fat were limited.

This was implemented by the Labor City of York Council earlier this year, but an opposition Liberal Democrat councillor, Darryl Smalley, labeled it a “nanny”.

Mr Howell said: “There is a balance between supporting the health of our communities and the NHS and the economic link between jobs and industry.”

He added: “Do people understand what the healthy choice is if they don’t know the option is available?

“There is a fine line between being too interventionist and not doing enough.”

Bradford Council is still running the survey and is particularly keen to hear from families of South Asian heritage for whom there is insufficient data.

The study aims to measure the diets of a representative group of children, aged three to 11, living in Bradford.

Four food diaries are completed online by parents on behalf of their children and with tailored support for each participant who receives a £15 voucher for their time.