Healthy weight approach in Leicester
Launched in December 2022, the approach will focus on three key themes: building a stronger healthy weight system, changing environments to increase opportunity and empowering workforces and communities.
The pledge
We have pledged to create a city where everyone is able and has the power to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle, move more, and eat well through the development of a city-wide approach that will create an environment free from weight stigma, where the healthy choice is the easy choice and healthy living is the whole systems responsibility.
Guiding principles
- Collaborate with partners and communities
- Consider needs of our communities
- Focus action where it is most needed to promote equity
- Make the most of our existing resources and services
- Support existing strategies
- Innovate where possible
- Be compassionate, understanding and remove individual blame
The approach was developed in partnership with a variety of colleagues from across the system including local community members, sports clubs, caterers, social care, housing, public health, neighbourhood services, NHS, early years settings and more!
What the approach is and is not
This approach, and the supporting action plan aims to provide strategic direction that will guide the system in reducing excess weight experience through positive system and environmental change. The approach will support existing strategies, build on existing work, and will not duplicate current action. The approach is not set in stone, and the action plan will adapt based on needs and priorities identified. It is not something that can be delivered alone and must be owned by the whole system that contribute to excess weight to create meaningful and long-term change.
Healthy Weight Declaration
To support the approach, we have adopted the Food Active Local Authority Healthy Weight Declaration. The Declaration supports councils to adopt a systems approach to healthy weight and overall good health and wellbeing in communities.
The Declaration was signed by Sir Peter Soulsby - City Mayor, Alison Greenhill – Chief Operating Officer, Professor Ivan Browne – Director for Public Health and Councillor Vi Dempster – Assistant City Mayor for Health on 5 December 2022.
For more information on the Declaration, and what this means for us, visit Food Active - Local Authority Declaration on Healthy Weight.
Further information
For more information, please email us and request the Healthy Weight lead: ph-admin@leicester.gov.uk.