Ways to help maintain a healthy weight during coronavirus
As the government launches a major UK-wide campaign to tackle obesity, the Council wants to remind residents of practical ways they can help achieve a healthy weight.
In Hackney 40.2% of children in Year 6 are classified as overweight, and over half (51.7%) of adults are classified as overweight. Obesity is linked to many different health conditions, such as Type 2 Diabetes, some cancers, heart disease, poor mental health and reduced life expectancy.
There is also now increasing evidence that obesity is an independent risk factor for severe illness and death from Coronavirus.
Maintaining a healthy weight can be challenging, as well as personal choices and habits, weight is strongly influenced by the wider environment and the circumstances in which people live.
There is a lot of great support in Hackney to help residents and families manage their weight or become more active. People can speak to their GP, or contact the services below directly to find out more:
- HENRY supports local families with children aged 0-5 to provide a healthy, happy start in life for their children and the whole family.
- Everyone Health supports families with children aged 5-19 (up to 25 with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) to make healthier lifestyle choices to achieve a healthy weight
- Healthier Together Hackney provides Weight Management and Physical Activity on Referral programmes to support you to achieve your personal goals whether that be losing weight or becoming more active
- Hackney Leisure & Physical Activity Team are commencing a revised adult programme of health walks in August. For further information including how to book, go to the walking webpage
- Couch to 5k helps people of all abilities become more active, and all you need is a pair of trainers and an app capable device
- The Healthier You programme helps those at high risk of Type 2 diabetes to reduce their risk. It is a 9-12 month programme which includes help and guidance to eat well and provides tips on weight loss (where appropriate) and physical activity. Find out if you are eligible and to sign up to the programme at riskscore.diabetes.org.uk
- Change4Life recipes are healthy meal ideas for those on a budget, tasty as well as helping people to maintain a healthy weight
- Hackney Support Services Map helps people find local low cost exercise classes
We want to create an environment in Hackney that supports people to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. We know there are many structural issues that can worsen obesity such as low wages and being time poor. But there are individual choices we can all make to help us live healthier and happier lives. These include cutting down on sugar and alcohol, swapping our crisps and chocolate snacks for pieces of fruit and being more active.
To help join up services and tackle obesity in Hackney, in 2016 the Council set up the Healthy Weight Strategic Partnership. This brings together partners from a range of council services that influence local drivers of obesity, such as; planning, transport, leisure, parks and green spaces, housing, education and early years, social care, enforcement and business regulation, public health and the NHS.
There are five priority areas for collective action:
- Working together: bringing people together by supporting the development of a social movement for healthy weight in Hackney
- Targeted help: supporting people at greatest risk of obesity-related harm
- Food: improve access to affordable healthy food
- Place: design and use of places and spaces, making it easy for people to be active in their everyday lives
- Easy access to information: making it easy to find information about services or programmes or opportunities to support and empower people to live a healthy life