Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report which provides an update and briefs the Health and Wellbeing Board on the imminent public launch of the Bath and North East Somerset Sugar Smart Campaign.

The Board considered a report regarding the imminent public launch of the Bath and North East Somerset Sugar Smart Campaign.  Jameelah Ingram (Public Health Development and Commissioning Manager) and Sophie Kirk  (Corporate Sustainability Officer) gave a presentation regarding the campaign.  A copy of the presentation is attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes.

The presentation covered the following issues:

·  Today’s children are the first generation predicted to die before their parents due to poor diet and inactivity.

·  Healthy weight has been identified as a key priority by the Health and Wellbeing Board.

·  The recommended average population maximum intake of sugar should be halved (5% dietary energy).

·  Reducing the amount of sugar in sweetened drinks by 40% over five years could prevent 300,000 cases of type 2 diabetes and one million fewer people who are obese nationally.

·  Sugar sweetened drinks are the biggest source of sugar in pre-school children.

·  As part of its Childhood Obesity Strategy the Government announced a soft drinks industry levy in the March 2016 budget which will come into effect in 2018.

·  The Sugar Smart Campaign is aimed at reducing sugar consumption across B&NES.  It is part funded by Sustainable Food Cities, Jamie Oliver Food Foundation and Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming.

·  B&NES will be the first national Sugar Smart campaign reaching both rural and urban areas.  The official launch will be in July 2017.

·  A Sugar Smart Steering Group had been set up with key partners; engagement had already taken place with schools and businesses.

·  The Radstock and Westfield areas had become the new flagship Sugar Smart Neighbourhood.

·  There would be a big social media and digital campaign.

·  The campaign focus would adopt a needs based, settings approach.

Bruce Laurence stated that consumption of sugar was a major contributor to obesity and also to tooth decay.  The broad support of the Health and Wellbeing Board would empower the team to take forward the campaign.  He also pointed out the need to encourage the food industry to change their behaviour around the marketing and cost of certain foods.

Sarah Shatwell welcomed the campaign but stated that it was important not to stigmatise particular communities.  It was also necessary to understand the attitudes and issues that lead to over-consumption of sugar.

RESOLVED:

(1)  To provide strategic support for the Sugar Smart Campaign.

(2)  To support key public sector and health promoting organisations across Bath and North East Somerset to sign up to the Sugar Smart Campaign and make pledges to support a reduction in sugar intake.