The Three Priorities
The Three Priorities of the Year of Health and Wellbeing
The three priority areas for the Year of Health and Wellbeing are physical activity, mental wellbeing and childhood obesity.
Physical activity
Mental wellbeing
Childhood obesity
Why these Three Priorities?
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) sets out the key health needs for our population.
The Three Priorities for the Year of Health and Wellbeing were based on the JSNA and as such are data driven and evidence based to support the health and wellbeing of the people of Hampshire.
Physical activity
Research from the Health Foundation shows that being physically inactive is associated with 1 in 3 deaths in the UK and estimated to cost over £7 billion annually.
Physical activity has significant benefits for physical and mental health and can help to prevent and manage more than 20 health conditions.
Statistics from Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) show that nationally around 1 in 3 (34%) of men and 1 in 2 (42%) of women are not active enough for good health. In Hampshire, only two-thirds of adults are taking the recommended 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week.
The BeeWell survey of over 22,000 young people conducted across Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and Isle of Wight (HIPS) in 2023 reported that only 4 out of 10 young people surveyed are reaching the recommended levels of physical activity per day. This falls to 3 in 10 for girls and is lower still for young people who identify as LGBTQ+.
Why is this important?
Regularly raising our heart rate and moving in a way that makes us out of breath can help reduce our risk of depression by 30% and reduce our risk of major illnesses such as heart disease, stroke and respiratory illness by up to 50%. Moving more reduces demand for, and dependence on, health and social care provision and supports people to remain active and productive as they age.
As an employer and/or an organisation who supports people in our communities, you can play a significant role by creating the conditions that enable physical activity.
See case study and best practice guidance for physical activity:
Mental wellbeing
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of UK adults rating their life satisfaction as low has increased since 2018. Those reporting high feelings of anxiety has also increased in this period.
Approximately 350,000 people in Hampshire experience a mental health problem of some kind each year.
The BeeWell survey of over 22,000 young people conducted across the local area in 2023 indicates that psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction is worse for some groups than others and differs between local areas.
Why is this important?
Mental health and wellbeing fluctuate throughout our working lives, impacting job performance, productivity, absenteeism, and staff turnover.One in four people will experience poor mental health at some point, and one in five working adults took time off in 2023 due to stress or pressure, with younger workers being most affected.
The high prevalence of work-limiting mental ill health within the younger aged workforce is a significant risk to people's lifetime employment, health outcomes and ultimately their quality of life.
More widely, if unaddressed it risks acting as a brake on economic growth and the nation's future prosperity (Health Foundation 2024).
See case study and best practice guidance for mental wellbeing:
Childhood obesity
Whilst the percentage of children who are overweight and obese in Hampshire is lower than the England average, the jump in the percentage of overweight and obese Year 6 children in the last decade is greater in Hampshire than for England as a whole. The burden of overweight and obesity in the most deprived 10% of Hampshire is twice that as the least deprived 10% (Let's not wait, Hampshire DPH Annual Report 2024).
Although not every organisation has connections with children and young people, this is an important issue for all. If current trends continue, we might expect 37% of Year 6 pupils to be overweight or obese by 2040. Obese children are five times more likely to be obese in adulthood than those who were not obese as children, bringing significant increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers. There is also strong evidence that living with overweight and obesity increases the risk of common mental health illnesses such as depression for both adults and children.
Why is this important?
As children grow into adulthood and enter the workforce, obesity is associated with lower earning status and a higher risk of unemployment. This inherently limits the opportunities organisations have to tap into these lost skills and expertise.
Supporting parents and carers in the workforce to help their children achieve a healthy weight not only improves the wellbeing and productivity of the existing workforce, but also protects the future workforce enabling organisations to thrive.