Tackling childhood obesity

Nine out of 10 parents who took part in an innovative programme in Bedfordshire now know how much food to give their kids since taking part in a project to reduce childhood obesity in Bedfordshire.

Created with NHS Bedfordshire under the Change4Life banner, Get Set and Grow was designed to raise awareness of healthy living, tackle attitudes and change behaviour amongst hard to reach families.

Interim results have been very positive, with 57% of families adopting a healthier behaviour.

“We’re delighted with the results from the pilot and working with Resonant Media,” says Craig Lister Public Health Manager at NHS Bedfordshire. “Get Set and Grow is excellent. The project is really engaging and also manages to communicate some very hard-hitting messages, without turning families away: it’s this rare combination that has led to real changes in behaviour.”

Get Set and Grow is novel for two reasons. Firstly it aims to tackle behaviour in families with young children. This is particularly important as habits are often formed in the first five years of life, including the propensity to overeat and avoid physical activity.  Secondly, it is upfront about the dangers of obesity and why parents should take a hard look at the eating and physical activity habits of their children.

The project was launched in June after a six-month scoping and development programme working very closely with local parents, during which they led the agenda. In all 275 families took part in the pilot. Eight out of 10 want to continue with the programme, with four out of
10 families wanting to be actively involved in
the project’s future development.

Back to news