Press Release - Tackling Child Obesity - First Steps
28 February 2006
Without clearer leadership from Departments there is a risk that
the Government’s target to halt the rise in obesity in children
under 11 will not be met. This is a key finding of a joint report
published today by the Audit Commission, the Healthcare Commission
and the National Audit Office. The report investigates the strength
and efficiency of that part of the delivery chain that aims to
reduce obesity in children between the ages of 5 and 10.
This is the third in a series of reports which examines the
effectiveness of the mechanisms to deliver government Public
Service Agreement (PSA) targets.
The child obesity PSA target was set in July 2004, but the key
ingredients of the delivery plan will not be published until May
2006. Tackling Childhood Obesity–First Steps warns that a lack of
timely guidance has meant that the various organisations that will
need to work together to deliver the target have been unclear about
their roles. Without greater clarity, those further down the
delivery chain may be wasting resources on ineffective or
inappropriate interventions that fail to target those children most
at risk.
The Government has in place a range of preventative programmes,
particularly around school sport and children’s nutrition, through
which it aims to address child obesity. The Department of Health
recently published guidance on measurement of children and plans
further advice for health professionals on weight loss and how
obese children may best be helped.
The target 'to halt the increase in obesity among children
under the age of 11 by 2010' was set in 2004 as a Public
Service Agreement in response to a jump in the growth of childhood
obesity. The incidence of childhood obesity grew from 9.6% in 1995
to 13.7% in 2003. The target is jointly owned by Department of
Health, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and Department for
Education and Skills.
Obesity now costs the NHS around £1 billion a year and the UK
economy a further £2.3 billion of indirect costs. If this trend
continues, the annual cost to the economy could be £3.6 billion a
year by 2010.
The childhood obesity target is far-reaching and complex,
requiring significant changes in the lifestyles of many children
and their families to improve their diet and to exercise more. This
target is tougher to deliver because it requires the coordination
of many diverse organisations at regional, local and front line
level, who all have a key role to play in tackling child
obesity.
The report recommends:
- greater clarity and direction from central Government: it is
essential that the three Departments work closely together to
provide strong leadership;
- better definition of regional roles and responsibilities:
Government Offices for the Regions could play a greater role in
bringing together the various elements of the delivery chain;
- strengthening local partnerships: local structures and
mechanisms, such as local strategic partnerships and children’s
trusts, exist to promote joint working and have the potential to
reduce the risk of duplication of activities by bringing together
funding around agreed priorities;
- more support for front line staff: better information and
training on roles and responsibilities and improved dissemination
of advice and guidance.
It will be important to build on progress to date and to act
quickly on the report’s recommendations to support the target being
met and to reduce the risk to children’s health.
Healthcare Commission Chief Executive, Anna Walker,
said:
"Childhood obesity is a serious health problem that can follow
people much later into life. It is a causal factor in a number of
chronic diseases and conditions including high blood pressure,
heart disease and type 2 diabetes. If we are serious about tackling
childhood obesity then all government agencies and organisations
must work together more effectively. Those of us involved in
inspection and assessment must ensure that this partnership working
really takes place nationally and locally."
Audit Commission Chief Executive, Steve Bundred,
said:
"The Government is facing a significant challenge on a serious
social problem, but it is tackling it head on. To succeed, children
must be engaged in the home, at school and when being treated by
the NHS. It is no surprise that it is very complicated to address
because the various government agencies involved are trying to
bring about changes to the lifestyles of children and families. The
recommendations in this report must be embraced urgently to give
the Government the best chance of achieving its target."
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office,
said:
"Central Government must set a clear direction if we are to
tackle obesity in children. Given that the target was established
in 2004, the three Government Departments could have been quicker
in co-ordinating their own actions and in making sure that those on
the frontline were fully informed and supported in their efforts.
There is now a need for the three Departments to work closely
together to provide the leadership and direction that the whole
delivery chain requires."
Notes for Editors:
- This is the third of three joint studies on particular Public
Service Agreement (PSA) targets. The first examined the use of
buses and light rail. The second examined the building of more
affordable homes. The NAO and Audit Commission will also publish an
overview report drawing out wider lessons.
- Press notices and reports are available from the date of
publication on the NAO website at www.nao.org.uk, the Audit
Commission website at www.audit-commission.gov.uk or the Healthcare
Commission website at
www.healthcarecommission.org.uk. Hard copies can
be obtained from The Stationery Office on 0845 702 3474.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir John Bourn, is the
head of the National Audit Office which employs some 800 staff. He
and the NAO are totally independent of government. He certifies the
accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other
public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to
Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which
departments and other bodies have used their resources.
- The Audit Commission is an independent body responsible for
ensuring that public money is spent economically, efficiently and
effectively, to achieve high quality local services for the public.
Our remit covers around 11,000 bodies in England, which between
them spend more than £180 billion of public money each year. Our
work covers local government, health, housing, community safety and
fire and rescue services.
- As an independent watchdog, we provide important information on
the quality of public services. As a driving force for improvement
in those services, we provide practical recommendations and spread
best practice. As an independent auditor, we ensure that public
services are good value for money and that public money is properly
spent.
- The Healthcare Commission exists to promote improvements in the
quality of healthcare and public health in England and Wales. In
England, we are responsible for assessing and reporting on the
performance of both NHS and independent healthcare organisations,
to ensure that they are providing a high standard of care. We also
encourage providers to continually improve their services and the
way they work.
Press Notice 14/06
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