Food & Health Strategy for South Gloucestershire 2009 to 2012 – A summary This summary outlines the key themes, developments and linkages in relation to food and health in South Gloucestershire. The full draft strategy explores these themes and issues in greater depth. Copies of the full draft strategy can be downloaded from: www.southglos.gov.uk or are available from any South Gloucestershire Library or One Stop Shop.

The evidence for the health benefits of a healthy, varied and balanced diet has never been stronger. Optimum nutrition is of key importance throughout the life course. The aim of this 3 year strategy is to ensure a co-ordinated approach to improving the availability and affordability of food and health for everyone. It strives to achieve the collaboration of all sectors that have a key responsibility to improve physical and mental health and well being of the people in South Gloucestershire. This food and health strategy provides a framework through which these sectors can work together, to improve the diet and nutritional status of the whole population of South Gloucestershire throughout their lifespan.

The strategy outlines the current health status of the people in South Gloucestershire and reviews existing evidence and initiatives to help set clear and realistic aims and objectives. Overall, the focus is on developing and/or continuing efforts and actions to increase the opportunities for choosing a healthy, varied and balanced diet and for reducing health inequalities across the district.

Our plan in South Gloucestershire is to have a food and health strategy that is dynamic, that is reviewed regularly to ensure it meets the aims and objectives set and that is relevant to the current environment in which we live.

Over the past thirty to forty years we have seen a marked and dramatic increase in the levels of overweight and obesity within the population, and this is seen in adults, young people and children. Low levels of physical activity, along with poor eating habits, are significant causal factors for the dramatic increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in England that has been observed. Overweight and obesity put pressure on families, the NHS and society. If current trends continue it is estimated that costs to society and businesses will reach £50 billion per year by 2050, with a seven fold increase in NHS costs alone. This strategy has therefore been developed alongside the South Gloucestershire Overweight and Obesity Strategy 2006-2008 and the South Gloucestershire Physical Activity and Sports Plan Strategy 2007-2009.

The Better Health Partnership in South Gloucestershire is a subgroup of the Local Strategic Partnership, and is comprised of representatives from South Gloucestershire Council, NHS South Gloucestershire and the Care Forum (voluntary sector). The Better Health Partnership will oversee the implementation of this strategy, with the detailed planning carried out by the Food and Health Network (F&HN). Aims and objectives This strategy focuses on how to improve the food related health and well-being of the population of South Gloucestershire. Particular emphasis will be given to the local priorities of the area and nutrition related health inequalities, within a variety of different settings.

Aims  To take a population wide, life stage approach, to promote a healthy and safe diet, good nutrition and optimum health, that meets local priorities.  To contribute to a reduction in the incidence of ill health that can be caused by a poor diet, including cancer, coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic conditions.  To help reduce nutrition related health problems and health inequalities within the local population.

Objectives  To improve the knowledge, attitudes and skills of the local population of the principles that constitute a healthy, safe, varied and balanced diet, as well as the link between diet and health, and to help turn this knowledge into dietary practice.  To improve access, affordability and consumption of healthy, nutritious and safe foods.  To ensure nutrition related interventions that are delivered are evidence based; tailored to the needs of the local population; are available in a variety of settings; and that people are supported to become engaged in them.

Strategic Framework The partnerships in South Gloucestershire focus on drawing down the relevant aspects of national initiatives that can be implemented locally. Food, safety, diet and nutrition are essential aspects of life for all ages, from infancy through to older age. For this reason the strategy takes a life stage approach, with links to appropriate settings for each age group.

The age groups identified are: The settings that will deliver support for the  Women of childbearing age, pregnant different life stages are: women, breastfeeding and children  Community under two years of age  Primary care  Pre-school children (aged 2 to 5)  Prisons and custodial settings  Children and young people (aged 5 – 24  Preschool settings and schools to include youth work)  Workplaces  Adults (aged 25 – 64)  Residential and care homes  Older people (aged 65 and over)

Key Objectives Objectives for healthy eating for women of childbearing age, pregnant women, breastfeeding and children under two years of age: Objective 1 - Develop healthy eating training and support networks for midwives, health visitors and others working with pregnant women and those of child-bearing age, particularly supporting those working in priority neighbourhoods. Objective 2 - Raise awareness of the importance of folic acid supplementation in preventing neural tube defects among pharmacy staff, and review their training needs. Objective 3 - Support implementation of the breastfeeding strategy for South Gloucestershire that incorporates consistent messages and realistic achievable goals. Objective 4 - Develop infant feeding guidelines for South Gloucestershire. Objectives for good dietary practices and healthy eating for children aged two to five years Objective 1 - Develop appropriate healthy eating training and nutritional recommendations for nursery staff, child minders, family workers, health visitors and other staff groups working with children between two and five years of age. Objective 2 - Ensure all early years centres, settings and nurseries have a food policy. Objective 3 - Develop sustainable, needs based, support for local parents through local and community based initiatives, including formal provision as well as utilising the skill, knowledge and resources already within the community.

Objectives for healthy eating for children and young people Objective 1 - To ensure all schools within South Gloucestershire are working towards delivering the Food in Schools, Healthy Schools and Healthy Schools Plus programme. Objective 2 - Increase the uptake of school meals. Objective 3 - Ensure the School Health Nursing Service provides support to schools in the delivery of Personal Health & Social Education sessions on healthy eating, physical activity and weight management. Objective 4 - Support the development of healthy eating policies in non-school settings. Objective 5 - To deliver the food strands of the Health Care Standard for children and young people in looked after care, as well as providing support and training, where necessary, on diet and nutrition for residential care staff, foster carers and social workers.

Objectives for healthy eating for adults Objective 1 - To promote healthy eating in workplaces, in the community and in prison settings.

Objectives for healthy eating among older people Objective 1 - Develop training on diet, nutrition and health for carers in older people’s residential and care homes, and for community nurses working with older people. Objective 2 - Promote increased fruit and vegetable consumption among older people by improving access to and availability of these foods. Objective 3 - Add a healthy breakfast provision to the Community Meals service.

Objectives for addressing food related health inequalities Objective 1 - Develop and expand community food initiatives to address the needs of local people and communities, focusing on health inequalities in food access, affordability and availability in priority neighbourhoods and for disadvantaged groups. Objective 2 - Maximise partnerships to ensure the issue of food deserts is highlighted as an important factor to be addressed during planning processes and that measures are put into effect to reduce them. Objective 3 - Maximise and support partnerships that can effectively increase initiatives and opportunities for people from disadvantaged/hard to reach groups to access and consume a healthy well-balanced diet.

Implementation, targets and monitoring This strategy has a life span of 3 years, until April 2012. The Joint Health Improvement Action Plan to address the objectives identified in this strategy is a dynamic document and will be updated as a result of consultation and new evidence. Actions to achieve the objectives should be discussed and finally determined by theme groups. A formal review of the Joint Operational Action Plan will take place at yearly intervals.

The objectives included in this strategy illustrate the importance of partnership working. It is recommended that the membership of the Food and Health Network is strengthened to coordinate the implementation and monitoring of the action plan. The F&HN will report progress to the Local Strategic Partnership via the Better Health Partnership.

The strategy will be monitored through collecting information on process indicators via a programme of specific actions, linked to the objectives detailed under each section, within the resources available. Conclusions This strategy highlights some of the good work that is already taking place in South Gloucestershire to improve the diet and health of the local population. Full details of the work currently taking place can be found in the Food and Health Work Plan for 2009/10. However, further improvements can be made to the current services being provided, and the aims and objectives for the next 3 years have been detailed throughout this strategy.

Particular focus in the future needs to given to:  Promoting the awareness of the importance of folic acid in the early stages of pregnancy;  Developing infant feeding guidelines for South Gloucestershire;  Supporting the development of healthy eating policies in non-school settings;  Delivering the food strands of the Health Care Standard for children and young people in looked after care, as well as providing support and training, where necessary, on diet and nutrition for residential care staff, foster carers and social workers;  Promoting fruit and vegetable consumption among older people by improving access to and availability of these foods;  Developing and expanding community food initiatives to address the needs of local people and communities, focusing on health inequalities in food access, affordability and availability in priority neighbourhoods and for disadvantaged groups;  Maximising partnerships to ensure the issue of food deserts is highlighted as an important factor to be addressed during planning processes and that measures are put into effect to reduce them;  Maximising and supporting partnerships that can effectively increase initiatives and opportunities for people from disadvantaged groups to access and consume a healthy well-balanced diet.

There are numerous factors that impact on the diet and health of the local population. Multiagency working will be needed to address these factors and ensure that the diet and health of everyone in South Gloucestershire is improved, with specific focus given to those in priority neighbourhoods and from disadvantaged groups.

Have your say We welcome your comments on the draft Food and Health Strategy for South Gloucestershire which is open for consultation from the 8th June to 1st September 2009. You can tell us your views by writing to us at the address below or visit our website where you can respond online.

We are particularly keen to gather your views on the following areas:  What do you think of this Food and Health Strategy for South Gloucestershire? Are there things we should have put in or have missed out?  What do you think about the objectives? Are there others that should be included?  Will this strategy make a difference to your work? Is there anything that could be included that would make it more useful to you?  This strategy provides a framework for the development of local action plans based on the objectives identified in this report. Are there any actions which you would like to see included?  Any other comments or suggestions you would like to make

Further Information A full copy of the draft strategy is available to download from our website: www.southglos.gov.uk You can also view a copy at any South Gloucestershire Library or One Stop Shop

You can tell us your views by completing our online survey on our website: www.southglos.gov.uk or by writing to: Charlotte Musgrove, Healthy Eating Coordinator, South Gloucestershire Council, Civic Centre, High Street Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, BS15 9TR Tel: 01454 863499 Email: [email protected] The information in this strategy can be made available in other languages, large print, Braille or on audio tape. Please phone 01454 868009 if you need any of these or any other help accessing council services.