What did the project involve? This team developed a programme called Family Food First to tackle childhood obesity, tooth decay in young children and improve physical literacy. The aim of the programme was to improve the lifestyle of families with young children, particularly those on a low income.How does it improve patient care? The programme works by encouraging families with young children in Luton to adopt healthier lifestyles in order to reduce the burden of diseases such as obesity and tooth decay. They work with early years settings, including nurseries, pre-schools and children’s centres and support them to promote healthy messages to families by ensuring all settings have a food and health policy in place and adopt practices that encourage children to eat well and be more active.
Shared learning The team is currently working with 15 early years settings in Luton, with the intention of working with another 25 settings over the next year. There are approximately 70 early years settings in Luton so they plan to extend the reach of the programme over the next two years to include all of these. The model was developed to be led by dietitians, however, the delivery of the programme is driven by other nutrition and health professionals who may be more readily available in other communities, and more cost effective. The programme has been developed to suit an audience in Luton, however, the evidence-base the programme standards have been drawn from are universal and adaptations to how the programme is delivered could be introduced at a local level.
Project team Emma Cronly-Dillon (advanced specialist dietitian for public health) and Lisa De’Ath (specialist dietitian for public health), SEPT Community Health Services, Bedfordshire
For more information, email [email protected] or call 01582 707400