Creating bespoke solutions that work for the local area is at the heart of our approach. We recognise that every community has different needs when it comes to reducing health inequalities, which is why fostering close collaboration with local authorities and developing innovative approaches with the commissioner in mind, is fundamental to our delivery of award-winning healthy lifestyle programmes across the country.
In Hounslow, we have been providing residents with access to a free package of weight management programmes since April 2023, helping people to build and maintain healthy and sustainable habits through our new service, Healthy Hounslow.
Hounslow faces a significant challenge with obesity, with 61% of adults considered to be obese or overweight. Recent data shows the borough is currently within the top five in London with the worst rates of obesity, underlining the scale of the issue.
To tackle the problem, our dedicated team of nutritionists and behaviour change experts continue to close the gap between scientific evidence and ‘real-world’ delivery, working with Hounslow Council to consider all the conflicting elements that impact how a person lives a healthy lifestyle.
By basing approaches around specific demographics, neighbourhoods and families, approaches can be developed that reflect the realities of day-to-day life; from the shops a child may pass on their way to school, to the barriers a working parent can face cooking a nutritious meal. Working collaboratively with the commissioner to go above and beyond the programme is central to ensuring long-lasting and sustainable change.
In one of our latest videos, Hounslow resident, Veena Shah, highlights the realities of day-to-day life and the pressures facing parents and carers when it comes to their family’s health.
Cllr Samia Chaudhary, Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Transformation, explained: “We are committed to creating a healthy borough, and that starts from an understanding of the different circumstances and situations people face daily. The immediate priorities of daily life mean that for a lot of people, healthy eating and physical activity are sometimes lower down on the list.
“This project highlights just some of the barriers to making a healthy choice in any given setting. We need to create an environment where the healthy choice is the easy choice.”
As shown through her story, it will take collective action between the public and private sectors to create an environment where the healthy choice is the more appealing choice for families. In order to see real progress, we need to ensure we utilise a whole systems approach to tackling obesity, and effective collaboration remains at the heart of its success.
