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Gateshead Council policy linked to lowering childhood obesity

Civic in autumn

A Gateshead Council policy has been linked to lowering childhood obesity. 

In 2015, the council's Planning team introduced a policy stopping any existing property that wasn't already fast-food-related being turned into a takeaway.

New research led by Lancaster University has shown that our efforts to restrict new fast-food outlets have been associated with fewer overweight children in Gateshead, particularly in areas where higher numbers of takeaways already exist. In comparison to other areas in the North East which did not make a similar policy change, some parts of Gateshead saw a 4.8% drop in childhood obesity.

Our Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Gateshead team played a key role in the study, making sure the research was relevant to our borough and residents. The team provided a bridge between the council and universities involved to ensure the researchers understood the local context our council officers work in. 

Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health for Gateshead and Newcastle, said: "Creating environments which support access to healthy affordable food is one of the biggest public health missions of our generation. 

"The challenge of healthy weight and access to nutritious food is complex, ever-changing, and hard to resolve. There is no silver bullet, and several interventions are needed to create real, impactful, and lasting change. 

"It's great to see when local government come together with full institutional support, how planning policies can chip away at such challenges to facilitate healthier and more resilient communities." 

Following the success of this policy, the council are sharing our results so other regions can make similar changes, and to help shape national policy, so communities across the UK can benefit from what we've learned.   

This policy is just one of the ways the council are improving health across our borough and working towards making Gateshead a place where everyone Thrives.  

In 2022, with funding from the National Institute of Health and Care Research, the council established HDRC Gateshead, a team of researchers aiming to improve the council's ability to carry out studies like this which provide evidence of what works and what doesn't in improving people's health locally. By having real-world data like this, we can shape and introduce policies that genuinely make a difference.  

Civic in autumn
28 October 2024

A Gateshead Council policy has been linked to lowering childhood obesity. 

In 2015, the council's Planning team introduced a policy stopping any existing property that wasn't already fast-food-related being turned into a takeaway.

New research led by Lancaster University has shown that our efforts to restrict new fast-food outlets have been associated with fewer overweight children in Gateshead, particularly in areas where higher numbers of takeaways already exist. In comparison to other areas in the North East which did not make a similar policy change, some parts of Gateshead saw a 4.8% drop in childhood obesity.

Our Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Gateshead team played a key role in the study, making sure the research was relevant to our borough and residents. The team provided a bridge between the council and universities involved to ensure the researchers understood the local context our council officers work in. 

Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health for Gateshead and Newcastle, said: "Creating environments which support access to healthy affordable food is one of the biggest public health missions of our generation. 

"The challenge of healthy weight and access to nutritious food is complex, ever-changing, and hard to resolve. There is no silver bullet, and several interventions are needed to create real, impactful, and lasting change. 

"It's great to see when local government come together with full institutional support, how planning policies can chip away at such challenges to facilitate healthier and more resilient communities." 

Following the success of this policy, the council are sharing our results so other regions can make similar changes, and to help shape national policy, so communities across the UK can benefit from what we've learned.   

This policy is just one of the ways the council are improving health across our borough and working towards making Gateshead a place where everyone Thrives.  

In 2022, with funding from the National Institute of Health and Care Research, the council established HDRC Gateshead, a team of researchers aiming to improve the council's ability to carry out studies like this which provide evidence of what works and what doesn't in improving people's health locally. By having real-world data like this, we can shape and introduce policies that genuinely make a difference.  

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