The Scottish Government

CHILD HEALTHY WEIGHT INTERVENTIONS 2008/09

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Introduction

Addressing rising levels of overweight and obesity is a priority for the Scottish Government. As highlighted in the Better Health, Better Care Action Plan, a key focus is placed on tackling health inequalities and targeting interventions in the early years to break the link between health problems in early life and adult disease. Childhood overweight and obesity present a particular challenge.

This is the first publication of statistics reporting on child healthy weight interventions.

NHS Boards have developed plans to introduce child healthy weight interventions from 2008/09 onwards. Through their local delivery plans all NHS Boards have committed to have this service in place by 2010/11. The table below sets out the number of interventions carried out during 2008/09 for early adopting NHS Boards.

Main Findings

- A total of 313 interventions were carried out during 2008/09.

Table 1 Child Healthy Weight Interventions completed during 2008/09

Methodology

The target (H3) - to achieve agreed completion rates for child healthy weight interventions by 2010/11 - covers a three year period beginning in 2008/09.

When the target was introduced in 2008 the Scottish Government issued guidance to illustrate the minimum criteria for what was considered to be an approved programme for healthy weight interventions. As this was a developmental target, Boards were given flexibility to introduce a programme, or range of programmes, of their choice as long as it met the criteria set out in these guidelines. Some Boards have introduced programmes which are not specifically targeted towards overweight or obese children, i.e. a whole class approach in educational settings. In these cases the number of reported interventions has been adjusted downwards based on the proportion of the class which might be expected to be obese based on national survey data. These adjustments are reflected in the table above.

Future Plans

Data will be collected for the six month period from April to September 2009 and thereafter on a quarterly basis.

Further Information

This is the first time these data have been published. Although not classified as National Statistics they are regarded as Official Statistics and, as such, are bound by the principles and protocols contained within the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

The measure above contributes to the Scottish Government's HEAT performance management system which sets out the targets and measures against which NHS Boards are publicly monitored and evaluated.

- HEAT target H3 - to achieve agreed completion rates for child healthy weight interventions by 2010/11

Useful Links

UK Statistics Authority, Code of Practice for Official Statistics -

http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html

Scottish Government NHSScotland Performance Targets (HEAT) -

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/17273

Scottish Government Guidance on Healthy Weight Intervention Programmes -

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/83961/0059077.pdf

For further information, please contact:

Julie Ramsay

Scottish Government

Health Analytical Services

email: Julie.Ramsay@Scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Tel: 0131 244 2368