Grant to combat obesity

12:30pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

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HOME tutors will be employed as part of a £500,000 Lottery-backed project to help families across Caerphilly county borough in the battle against obesity.

The F3 - short for Fun, Food and Fitness - project will target eight to 11 year-olds and their families in the area, with the aim of improving activity levels and diets.

It will be delivered by eight home tutors, supported by a dietitian, a physical activity specialist and a behavioural specialist, who will go into participating families' homes.

The three-year programme is being backed by a £497,749 award from the Big Lottery Fund's Way of Life programme, secured by the Health Challenge Caerphilly County Borough partnership, led by the area's National Public Health Service for Wales team.

Families will be recruited to the F3 programme early next year. F3 has been designed in consultation with families, who said they would like individualised advice in their own homes.

"We are delighted our bid has been successful, as this programme has been developed in response to a local need," said Dr Gill Richardson, Caerphilly Local Health Board's public health director.

"We know that poor diets and low physical activity contribute to the high obesity rates in Caerphilly County Borough, where more than half of adults are overweight or obese.

"By stepping in and helping children to adopt healthy habits, we hope to prevent them become overweight adults.

"This is a tremendous achievement for all concerned and recognition of the immense amount of work by the local public health team, our partners in leisure services, and Health Challenge Caerphilly County Borough."

The F3 programme will be evaluated ensure it contributes to the evidence base for tackling childhood obesity. Obesity in general is now recognised as one of the major health issues facing the UK.