Council collecting data to curb childhood obesity

One in three children in Bradford are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school

Bradford Council is collecting data on children's eating habits as one in three children in the city are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school.

Tim Howells, head of public health at Bradford Council, said there was a lack of data on children's eating habits which need to be understood.

There was a link between the inequality and deprivation seen in Bradford and obesity, he said.

Findings from the Bradford Children's Food Survey will be used by the council’s public health team and schools to inform decision making on reducing obesity.

'Healthy food costs more'

"There's very little data around," Mr Howells said.

"This is particularly prominent for our first and second generation migrants, where there is limited - if not non-existent - data."

The council estimated that about one in five children in reception are overweight or obese, rising to one in three by the time they leave primary school.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which provides guidelines for the NHS, published a report last year that said "people in deprived areas often face significant barriers to accessing affordable, healthy food".

Mr Howells said: "Healthy food generally costs more.

"In times of a cost of living crisis, people are more likely to access cheaper foods which are generally less healthy."

He added: "Their choices are being decided for them based on what's available."

Mr Howell said this was shown both by an abundance of unhealthy takeaway shops in an area - known as a food swamp - as well as a lack of healthy options - a food desert.

He said: "You are more likely to find food deserts and food swamps in urban, deprived areas," citing the Manningham area of Bradford as an example.

What can be done to improve diets in Bradford?

Mr Howell said there were three measures that could be taken.

The first was by incentivising behaviour changes, such as providing people with vouchers to buy healthy food.

Another was by supporting takeaway providers over a three-year period to improve their healthy eating practice.

Bradford Council has a pilot running for this, working with 10 takeaways to make their menus more healthy.

The final measure was pushing through marketing policies that ensured advertising foods with high quantities of sugar and fat were limited.

This was implemented by Labour's City of York Council earlier this year, but one Liberal Democrat opposition councillor Darryl Smalley labelled it "nannying".

Mr Howell said: "There's a balance between supporting the health of our communities and the NHS, as well as the economic link between jobs and industry."

He added: "Do people understand what the healthy choice is if they don’t know that option is available?

"There's a fine line between policy being too interventional and not doing enough."

Bradford Council is still running the survey, and is particularly keen to hear from families with south Asian heritage, of which there is not enough data.

The study aims to measure the diets of a representative group of children, aged three to 11, living in Bradford.

Four food diaries are completed by parents online, on behalf of their children, and with support tailored to each participant, who receive a £15 voucher for their time.

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