CHILD HEALTHY WEIGHT
The Scottish Government has set a new national target to reduce the rate of increase in the proportion of children outwith the healthy weight range by 2018. This is underpinned by an NHS 'HEAT' target for the provision of child healthy weight programmes incorporating diet, physical activity and behaviour change components and with an emphasis on involving parents/carers as well as children themselves. The Scottish Government was pleased to announce the provision of additional funding to health boards to support the delivery of this new target on 14 April 2008. Currently the target is for just over 6000 overweight and obese children and young people between the ages of 5 and 15 to complete and benefit from these programmes over the three years to 2011. Guidance to assist in the delivery of these intervention programmes has been developed by NHS Health Scotland, supported by an expert reference group. This guidance can be downloaded as a pdf. This guidance document is not available in hard copy.
These intervention programmes will form just one element of our strategic approach to tackling obesity. Government and stakeholders across all sectors have a key role to play in preventing obesity by helping to create environments that make it easier for us all to be more active in our everyday lives and support us in making healthier choices in what we eat.