Food & Health Alliance

The The Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives (HWHL) strategy sets out a vision for the creation of a healthier society. This is to be achieved through developing a number of policy areas which influence children, families, employers, the food industry, planners, transport, leisure industry and the health service. The strategy has an initial focus on children with a stated ambition to reduce the proportion of overweight and obese children by 2020 to levels found in 2000. 

The HWHL strategy builds on evidence provided by the Foresight expert report which identified a number of factors which make it difficult for people to maintain a healthy weight. The HWHL strategy aims to support people to lead healthier lives by promoting a society in which all take responsibility and ownership of health, in particular the need to tackle obesity.

Five key policy areas were identified by the Foresight team and these are the focus of the HWHL strategy. Each area has plans for immediate implementation, some with targeted finance already in place. The strategy also provides some background on recent successful initiatives.

1. Healthy growth and development of children:

The vision is to have every child growing up a healthy weight, being active and eating well. In order to achieve this the strategy identifies plans such as the promotion of breastfeeding, working more closely with parents to help them make changes to the diet and activity levels of their children, and ensuring all children aged 11-14 learn cooking in schools.

2. Promotion of healthier food choices:

The vision is to have food which is healthier through the reduction of fat, sugar and salt, with increased consumption of fruit and vegetables. Plans include the production of a Healthy Food Code of Practice in consultation with the food and drink industry. Local authorities are also to be given greater powers to influence planning, so that areas around schools and parks will, for example have fewer fast food outlets. Another plan is to have one unified scheme for food labelling and research is being carried out on the models currently being used. The review of the advertising restrictions on food advertised to children will be brought forward.

3. Building physical activity into peoples lives:

The third element of the strategy is a vision of a more physically active society. The ambition is to get one third of England walking at least 1000 more steps by 2012. A second strategy is to consider the EPODE model from France which has established 'healthy towns'.

4. Creating incentives for better health

The role and responsibility of employers is captured in the fourth strategy element. The vision is for employers to put health at the core of their business plan, with incentives to invest in health. Plans include a number of pilots to promote well being in the workplace, and well-being assessments in the NHS. Other approaches in the workplace could include financial incentives to be more active and eat more healthily.

5. Personalising advice and support:

The fifth strategy focus is to provide personalised advice and support, whether on weight loss or maintenance, or on different types of foods or diets. Clear consistent information on diet and physical activity is to be provided through the NHS Choices website.