Tackling Child Obesity:

shaping the future

Paul Sacher, PhD, RD

Research and Development Officer, Mytime Active

Honorary Research Associate, UCL

All kids are getting bigger

1 in 3 children (aged 2-15) in the UK

are overweight or obese

= 4 million children

Tomorrow’s parents

40-70%of obese

children

will become

obese adults

Reilly et al, 2003

Batch J.A. & Baur L.A. (2005)

Obesity - not just a health problem for adults

Costs

• £5.1 billion spent on overweight and

obesity related ill-health in 2014-15

• Greatest burden for those living in low

socioeconomic circumstances

Government in(action)

• Child obesity strategy – missed

opportunity

• Primarily focussed on primary prevention

• No focus on management (secondary

prevention) of those already overweight

or obese

– Despite extensive evidence base and NICE

recommendations

Prevention or management?

• Both

• Balance needs to be addressed

• 44% of Local Authorities are not

providing any child weight

management services (PHE, 2016)

MEND

• Mind, Exercise, Nutrition…Do it!

• Multicomponent child weight

management programme

Extensive scientific evaluation

(Sacher et al. Obesity.

2010)

Family education works

Areas for improvement

• Food industry

• Government

• Start the conversation – stop fat

shaming and weight stigma

• Ensure all children with overweight or

obese have access to NICE

recommended treatment

Let’s debate…..

@drpaulsacher

www.mytimeactive.co.uk