Reducing childhood obesity update

From the Ministry of Health and partner agencies

1 July 2016

Welcome to the second edition of the Reducing Childhood Obesity Update. This special edition focuses on the introduction of the Ministry of Health's new health target: ‘Raising healthy kids’ from 1 July 2016.

The new health target

The new health target 'Raising healthy kids' is one of the targeted initiatives in the Childhood Obesity Plan. The health target will see 95 percent of obese children identified in the B4 School Check programme offered a referral to a health professional for clinical assessment and family-based nutrition, activity and lifestyle interventions, by December 2017.

The target has been incorporated into the B4 School Check as it focuses on early intervention to ensure positive, sustained effects on health.

Find out more about the health target

A word from the health target champion

The Ministry of Health has appointed Professor Hayden McRobbie as the Raising Healthy Kids Clinical Practice Champion, Childhood Obesity. He gives his take on childhood obesity in New Zealand and the new health target.

Around one in nine children under the age of five in New Zealand are obese, with higher rates among Māori and Pacific children.

A healthy body weight is important for good health and mental wellbeing.
Obese children are more likely to be obese in adulthood, are more likely to have abnormal blood pressure and are at increased risk of developing diabetes and heart disease as adults. Being an obese child is also associated with social problems which can lead to low self-esteem and depression.

Every parent wants the best for their child, but sometimes making healthy lifestyle changes is difficult. Motivational advice from a health care professional can trigger behaviour change. However, raising the issue of childhood obesity with parents and caregivers can be difficult and there may be a sense that there is little, in the way of help, to offer. While there are no ‘silver bullets’ there are evidence-based approaches that can be offered and this help will be appreciated by families and whānau.

A long-term approach needs to be taken with the goal of helping obese children grow into a healthy weight. This requires comprehensive lifestyle action that involves the child’s family and whānau, and combines healthy eating, increased physical activity, less sedentary activity, and some behavioural support to help cement these changes.

The new health target will help the sector to take a stepwise approach to the management of childhood obesity. First, by identifying children who are obese at an early age, then engaging with the family and whānau and supporting them to make a range of lifestyle changes. Health care professionals should be mindful of the child’s lived reality and work with their family and whānau to find ways to integrate the desired changes into their everyday life.

Programmes, such as the Ministry of Health's Active Families, that provide advice and support to families and whānau to make changes in eating habits and physical activity can have a positive impact, not only for the child but the whole family.

Finally, ongoing follow-up to monitor the desired behavioural changes and provide continued motivational support will help ensure the best chance of success.

I will be working with the health care sector to help implement these steps that will ensure that obese children and their family and whānau receive the right support to make changes to their lifestyle that will have long-lasting benefits to their health and wellbeing.

A DHB perspective on supporting family and whānau

Many DHBs already have programmes in place and all DHBs are looking broadly at what is available to contribute to family and whānau lifestyle changes that will support children growing into a healthy weight.

Image from a resource developed by Hawke's Bay DHB.

Hawke’s Bay DHB (HBDHB) has a number of programmes under way for families and whānau that support healthy weight outcomes.

The Healthy First Food Programme

Through this programme HBDHB provides training and resources to a community worker who delivers the programme to families. Those attending receive buckets with fruit and vegetables, ice cube trays to freeze the food, and recipe cards. This helps families provide healthy first foods for babies, shows them how easy it is to make and gives them the tools and the food to do it.

The DHB’s Green Prescription Maternal Programme

Co-designed by HBDHB and Sport Hawke’s Bay, this programme has been running for nearly two years. It has been independently evaluated and has involved approximately 350 pregnant women so far. It is designed to motivate, encourage and support healthy lifestyle changes for pregnant women or those who have just had a baby. The support is tailored to the person and is often a great stepping stone for mothers to start a healthy journey for themselves and their children. The programme has also been tailored for the Young Teen Parent units in Napier and Hastings. It lets them experience what’s available to them in the community in a fun and safe environment and is done during school hours.  This programme has helped identify mums at risk of gestational diabetes and other health issues early on and provided better support for them with their Lead Maternity Carer.

Active Families Pre-School

Families can be referred to this HBDHB designed programme if they have an overweight child who is aged 3-5. The programme works with the whole family – looking at lifestyle changes, physical activity programmes and better nutrition. The programme works with B4 School Check providers, and has been running for four years. An evaluation of the programme has shown kids that have gone through the programme eat more fruit and vegetables, and are developing fundamental skills to be more active.

If you have questions about these programmes please contact Hawke's Bay DHB

Information and resources to support implementation

A range of resources and information for parents and health care professionals are available on the Ministry of Health website. This includes Weight Management in 2-5 Year Olds For Primary Care, sleep tips for under 5s and nutrition and physical activity tips for 2-5 year olds.

View the information and resources on the Ministry of Health website

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Contact us

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Ministry of Health Reducing Childhood Obesity Programme Team