Childhood obesity case studies and best practice guidance

Depending on the nature of the business, there are an array of actions organisations can take that would contribute towards reducing childhood obesity.

This could relate to how you you support your own staff, their families and wider networks and local communities across Hampshire.

Supporting staff

Consider the following actions which can support staff in reducing childhood obesity:

• flexible working hours and policies - to enable parents and carers in the workforce to choose active travel, thereby role modelling these behaviours to their children
• provision of healthy catering for workforces - to enable staff to have healthy meals, reducing unhealthy snacking behaviours or reliance on immediately available less healthy choices and make healthy habits for the family
• enabling staff to take reasonable breaks to have time for healthy meals - therefore reducing unhealthy snacking behaviours or reliance on immediately available less healthy choices
• becoming a breastfeeding welcome organisation - providing safe and comfortable spaces for women to either feed their babies or express their breastmilk
• signposting to adult support services - such as the Gloji Hampshire healthy weight service for adults, and physical activity opportunities
• consider schemes with local childcare providers - where families can be enabled to return to work whilst feeling confident that their children will benefit from healthy food and physical activity opportunities

Actions for networks, friends and families

• workplace family engagement opportunities - encouraging connection, opportunities to try new foods and be active
• parent/carer networks - whereby these staff can have support from peers and opportunities of available support can be shared

Communities

Enabling opportunities for local communities

• contribute - to local initiatives that aim to improve healthy lifestyles and thereby healthy weight in children
• sponsor or enable staff to volunteer - at inclusive physical activity events
• develop social value schemes - such as enabling families on low incomes to access opportunities to engage in breakfast, after school clubs, and holiday clubs that provide healthy meals
• sponsor or develop projects - where access to equipment could be a barrier to access by those most at risk of childhood obesity, such as Bikeability schemes for those that do not have access to bikes

Influence in the community

• shape the marketing of food and physical activity products and opportunities - to support healthier eating and increased activity - to local initiatives that aim to improve healthy lifestyles and thereby healthy weight in children
• support the promotion of healthy food portion sizes
• challenge stigma - by:
• using appropriate language in relation to unhealthy weight
• ensuring fully inclusive policies and practices
• enabling your workforce to proactively seek and access support through health care appointments or services