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How can local authorities reduce obesity?

The NIHR invests more than £1bn a year in research to improve the health and wellbeing of the nation. Over the last decade, we have invested heavily in research aimed at preventing or managing obesity through helping local authorities. We want to support good local decision making by ensuring that investment decisions can be based on sound evidence. This will maximise the impact of stretched local resources.

This Themed Review identified 143 NIHR-funded studies on obesity that are relevant to local authorities. An array of interventions, settings, and study types were considered; some of the research is in emerging fields. Ongoing research that the NIHR funded recently is highlighted, since upcoming results could help address gaps in the current evidence base.

The Review drew on the expertise of a group of practitioners, researchers and members of the public. Conversations with a range of local authority staff and other key stakeholders gave us valuable insights. They helped us draw the research together in a meaningful way, put it in context and made sure the Review addressed key questions.

The interventions covered by NIHR research were specific to local contexts and may not always be applicable elsewhere. For example, local councils told us that certain food advertising restrictions on the London Underground, which demonstrated impact in London, would be harder to achieve in their local context. In addition, studies generally ran for 12 months or less; some interventions could take much longer to show an impact.

This Review covers 143 NIHR-funded studies, of which 32 were underway when the Review was completed. The chart below shows how many studies were funded across different areas of obesity research.

Context
Obesity is a major health crisis in the UK (Department of Health and Social Care) and more than a quarter of adults are living with the condition.

Context
Obesity is a major health crisis in the UK (Department of Health and Social Care) and more than a quarter of adults are living with the condition.

Obesity in the UK
A text alternative for this graphic and the references used to produce this graphic can be found here.

Consuming more calories than are needed leads to weight gain. Boys living with obesity or overweight, for example, have been found to consume between 140-500 excess calories each day (UK Health Security Agency). Globally, there has been an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars (World Health Organisation), and UK consumers generally do not meet the standards recommended for a healthy diet (Rand). However, many factors drive obesity; there is no single dominant cause.

Early life experiences
Early life experiences – including growth patterns in the first weeks or months of life – affect the risk of obesity years later (Foresight). Children of parents living with obesity are more likely to develop obesity themselves. And by the end of primary school, 35% of children are living with overweight or obesity (UK Parliament).