MK City Council has joined Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in signing a declaration to promote choices to help local people reach and sustain a healthy weight.
This is only the second time that a council has partnered with the NHS on the initiative.
In some parts of the country, almost half of children are overweight by the time they start secondary school. In Milton Keynes, the picture is better, but the partners aim to help local adults (of whom 26% live with obesity) and children (24% of 10/11-year-olds live with obesity) understand and access heathier choices.
The Milton Keynes Healthy Weight Declaration which makes this joint commitment was signed on Tuesday at Milton Keynes University Hospital.
The city council already funds important work to help local people access help and support to achieve a healthy weight, such as funding leisure facilities, and specific projects to help adults and children become more active including a new trial among people with diabetes using wearable technology.
The university hospital also runs a number of initiatives including promoting nutritional and balanced meals to patients and to its workforce, even developing an allotment that will provide its on-site restaurant with a range of fresh ingredients.
Dr Ian Reckless, Chief Medical Officer at Milton Keynes University Hospital said, “We recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet, alongside participating in regular exercise, in leading a happy and healthy lifestyle. As a hospital, it is crucial that we are working collaboratively with our partners across the city to ensure patients are offered the right information and support to make informed choices. We look forward to working alongside the city council to drive forward this important programme.”
Cllr Jane Carr, Cabinet Member for Inequalities and Child Poverty adds, “Children living with obesity are much more likely to live with obesity as adults, which increases the risk of serious conditions that impact quality of life. It is important to have this commitment to healthy weight at a council level to ensure healthy weight is considered in all local policies. I’m really pleased that we’ve joined our hospital colleagues by taking this step.”
Developed by North West based charity, Food Active, the Declaration was first adopted by Blackpool Council in 2016 where it has been shown to have a positive impact on policy at local authority level. Dozens of councils across the country have now adopted the Declaration.
