Food & Health Alliance

The pilot programme of Healthy Weight Communities has been based from evidence from French projects which demonstrated positive results in the population’s obesity levels. French projects, EPODE (Preventing Childhood Obesity Together) and its predecessor Villes Santés, reported that participating towns reversing obesity trends when compared against ‘control’ towns. Childhood obesity and maternal weight gain were cut over a number of years while "control" towns saw both increase.

The Scottish Government has stated that ‘The objective of the Healthy Weight Communities will be to demonstrate the ways in which gathering together diverse projects, under the shared purpose of tackling obesity, may have a greater impact on health outcomes than dispersed activity. Local communities, families and young people in particular, will be engaged in programmes that embrace healthy eating, physical activity and healthy weight initiatives from a wide range of delivery partners.’

These programmes will take direction not just from the lessons learnt from the EPODE programme but also the evidence presented by the Foresight report 'Tackling Obesities'. The French model illustrates just how important consistent and widespread promotion and championing by local leaders is to the success of community programmes. This is acknowledged further by the Foresight report, which makes it clear that isolated action is futile in reversing the obesity trends. Only close partnership working that supports people to make healthy choices right across their daily routine will make a difference.

The eight pilot Healthy Weight Communities are:

• Viewpark, North Lanarkshire
• Dundee
• Dumfries
• Priesthill and Househillwood, Glasgow
• Armadale & Blackridge, West Lothian
• Catrine, East Ayrshire
• Barrhead, East Renfrewshire
• Stevenston, North Ayrshire