Action plan to stop rising levels of obesity in Bristol

Food experts are working on an action plan to stop rising obesity levels in Bristol and get schoolchildren cooking healthy meals. People in Bristol are on average less overweight and obese than the rest of the country, but levels have risen in the past few years.

The plan focuses on getting people to eat better, supporting local businesses, reducing waste and getting more food grown in the city. It also aims to include how to provide emergency food during future disasters.

Bristol City Council staff and local health chiefs will discuss the plans set out in the Bristol Good Food 2030 plan at a health and wellbeing board meeting on Thursday 23 May. They will explore the progress made since the plan was approved a year ago.

Read more: Bristol Local Food Plan aims to reduce obesity and tackle climate change

Read more: Watershed truck accident damage to be repaired six years after collision

A report from the meeting said: “Since the health and wellbeing and environment councils signed up to the Bristol Good Food 2030 framework last year, Bristol Food Network has been working with stakeholders to deliver projects, to bring new stakeholders into this activity and to publish an initial set of indicators, indicating progress against the objectives (of the plan)’.

The percentage of people in Bristol who are overweight or obese is increasing. According to the council’s annual quality of life survey, this rose from 44% in 2018 to 47% last year. This is lower than the national estimate of 64 percent and varies by city.

Stockwood has the highest level of overweight and obese people at 67%. This is followed by Filwood with 63%, Brislington East with 60% and Henbury and Brentry with 59%. Ashley has the lowest at just 29%, followed by Clifton and Clifton Down at 33% and Windmill Hill at 36%.

Just under half of people in Bristol eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, according to the same survey. This also varies across Bristol, with two-thirds of people in Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze and Brislington West eating five portions, compared to less than a third of people in Lawrence Hill.

Bristol schools can work towards a Healthy School Award by having a dedicated member of staff who improve school food, provide healthy food, create a food policy and learn how to cook and grow food. The aim by 2030 is for all high school leavers to be able to cook five healthy, eco-friendly meals and primary school leavers to be able to cook two.

Under separate plans, new takeaways near schools or youth clubs could be banned in Bristol. As part of the new draft Local Plan, three or more takeaways would not be allowed to open next to each other.

New takeaway plans located around five minutes’ walk from a school or youth club would not be granted planning permission. The ban is part of the council’s new Local Plan, which sets out how and where new development should take place until 2040.