Agenda item
Brent's Childhood Obesity Treatment Programme
This report, as requested by the Health Select Committee in December 2009, provides information on the MEND Childhood Obesity Programme and the progress which has been made in reducing childhood obesity.
Minutes:
Melanie O’Brien (Strategic Joint Commissioning Manager) introduced the report which provided the committee with information on the MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it!) programme and the progress which had been made in reducing childhood obesity. She began by providing the committee with some background information on childhood obesity. She explained that childhood obesity was a growing threat to Children’s health, both physically and mentally, and that it had a significant impact on life expectancy. She added that childhood obesity was also a huge drain on the current and future resources of the National Health Service and Local Government.
Melanie O’Brien informed the committee that levels of childhood obesity were measured and recorded as part of the annual National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). She noted that Brent had higher levels of childhood obesity than both the London and national averages and that the total number of overweight and obese children in Reception year had increased from 22.3% to 24.1%. More positively, she added that there were early signs of a stabilisation of rates in year 6 pupils.
Melanie O’Brien explained to the committee what the MEND programme was and how it worked. She stated that it was an intensive programme which included participants taking part in 20 sessions over a 10 week period. She informed the committee that they had completed 9 programmes so far and were half way through the 10th and 11th programme. She added that they were contracted to do 18 programmes in total and that each programme had 12 children taking part, even though a small number had dropped out. Melanie O’Brien stated that the outcomes of the programme had been very positive and that the programme had achieved some very encouraging results. She then highlighted some of the successes of the programme, which included the fact that the Brent had proven to be a London leader in delivering the programme. She also stated that Brent had developed a regional London MEND group, which met on a regular basis to share good practice. Melanie O’Brien then set out the challenges, including the fact that the programme only had the capacity to reach a small percentage of the overweight and obese children in the borough. She concluded by highlighting the recommendations she made in the report, which were needed to ensure the successful reduction of childhood obesity.
In response to a query regarding the long-term analysis of the outcomes of the MEND programme, Melanie O’Brien explained that whilst it was early days, she was planning to complete a six month and a year follow up on those who had gone through the programme. She added that this information would be provided to the committee once available. It was noted that at a previous meeting concerns were raised regarding the LAA target. In response, Melanie explained that the committee would have seen the report following the summer holidays, when one rather than two MEND programmes had been running, which meant that a smaller number of children had completed the programme.
In response to a query as to whether a more in-depth analysis had been carried out to find out why there were higher levels of childhood obesity in Brent than the London and national averages and whether it was more prevalent in certain wards, Melanie O’Brien explained that the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) had found that levels of obesity were higher in urban areas and that a strong affirmative relationship existed between deprivation, ethnicity and obesity prevalence in children, all of which were relevant to Brent’s demography. She added that officers were in the process of analysing the NCMP data ward by ward, but that this information was not available yet.
Following a concern raised regarding the perceived lack of joined-up working between departments and partner agencies, Melanie O’Brien explained that there was a need for a more joined-up approach to tackling obesity at the national, local and individual level. For example she explained that at the local level, the issue of obesity should be considered in the creation of other strategies, such as a transport or a green spaces strategy. The committee were interested to hear about the work which was being carried out in Barking and Dagenham Council and Waltham Forest Council to try to limit the proximity of fast-food restaurants to schools. The committee agreed that they would refer this issue to Brent Planning Service so that these models could be examined in more detail to find out whether Brent could be in a position to replicate them.
In response to a question regarding costing, Melanie O’Brien stated that currently it costs £600-650 per child to complete the 10 week programme, excluding the actual MEND purchase costs. She added that it cost £4000 to buy a MEND package. She explained that the cost for the MEND programme was paid for out of the jointly funded budget of £186,000 which covered all the preventative and treatment programmes for the year. It was noted by the committee that £186,000 was a small amount compared to the £1 billion the effects of obesity costs the NHS directly and the £2.3 to £2.6 billion it costs the NHS indirectly.
Simon Bowen (Deputy Director of Public Health, NHS Brent) explained that NHS Brent was currently working on producing an Obesity Strategy for Brent, which would cover adult and child obesity. He stated that as part of this strategy, the MEND programme would be looked at. In response to a query regarding what the total health promotion budget was, Simon Bowen explained that he did not have this information with him, but that it was in the millions. He added that £186,000 was therefore a modest amount when compared to this. It was noted that there was a need to look at approaches which start for the ‘grass roots’ of the community. Following a suggestion from Thirza Sawtell (Director of Strategic Commissioning, NHS Brent), it was agreed that the Obesity Strategy would be provided to the Health Select Committee for discussion once it was written. It was requested that when the committee looks at the strategy, that information should also be provided on the money being spent to tackle obesity and how the strategy would be linked to education in schools as this was considered by the committee to be very important in the prevention of obesity. The Chair noted that the committee may then wish to consider setting up a task group to look at this issue and to examine best practice across London.
RESOLVED:-
(i) that the report be noted;
(ii) that the issue regarding the limiting of the proximity of fast food restaurants to schools be referred to Brent Planning Service, in order for the models used by Barking and Dagenham Council and Waltham Forest Council to be examined in more detail to find out whether Brent could be in a position to replicate them;
(iii) that the Obesity Strategy be provided to the Health Select Committee, once completed, for discussion, along with information on the money being spent to tackle obesity and how the strategy would be linked to education in schools.
Supporting documents: