Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healthy weight services in one local authority in England, where obesity levels have been above the national average since 2006.

Design:

We conducted process and outcome evaluation using a qualitative methodology. Data were generated in focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with clients, practitioners, healthcare professionals and volunteers.

Results:

A total of 91 individuals from six services participated in the evaluation. Staff competencies and empowerment outcomes were identified as areas of strength. However, despite examples of excellent practice and enthusiastic recommendations from clients, access and referral processes were areas of weakness.

Conclusion:

In England, local authorities have an important role to play in tackling obesity. It is crucial that they are provided with the tools to be able to implement healthy weight interventions effectively. A whole-systems approach presents a real opportunity for staff in local authorities and public health to work collaboratively and innovatively towards the same goal of continuous improvement in obesity management.

Keywords

Evaluation interventions local authority obesity weight management whole-system approach

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Attride-Stirling

(2001) Thematic networks: An analytical tool for qualitative research. Qualitative Research 1: 385–405.

Campbell

(2012) Get in on the Act: Health and Social Care Act. London: Local Government Association.

Cohen

Scribner

Farley

(2000) A structural model of health behaviour: A pragmatic approach to explain and influence health behaviours at the population level. Preventive Medicine 30: 146–154.

Department of Health (2008a) Help Stop Childhood Obesity before It Starts. London: HMSO.

Department of Health (2008b) Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Toolkit for Developing Local Strategies. London: HMSO.

Department of Health (2010) Childhood Obesity National Support Team: Update of Findings. London: HMSO.

Department of Health (2011) Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Call to Action on Obesity in England. London: HMSO.

Dobbs

Sawers

Thompson

(2014) Overcoming Obesity: An Initial Economic Analysis. London: McKinsey Global Institute.

Foresight (2007) Tackling Obesities: Future Choices Report. London: HMSO.

10.

Health Survey for England (2012) Health, Social Care and Lifestyles. Available at: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB09300 (accessed 3 February 2017).

11.

Jinks

English

Coufopoulos

(2013) Evaluation of a family-centred children’s weight management intervention. Health Education 113(2): 88–101.

12.

King

(2011) The future challenge of obesity. The Lancet 378: 743–744.

13.

Kruger

Casey

(2008) Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research. London: SAGE.

14.

Leeds Beckett University (2017) A Whole Systems Approach. Available at: http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/wholesystemsobesity/a-whole-systems-approach (accessed 15 October 2017).

15.

Local Government Association (LGA) (2013) Tackling Obesity: Local Government’s New Public Health Role. London: LGA.

16.

Local Government Association (LGA) (2017) Making Obesity Everybody’s Business: A Whole Systems Approach to Obesity. London: LGA.

17.

Mansell

Bennett

Northway

. (2004) The learning curve: the advantages and disadvantages in the use of focus groups as a method of data collection. Nurse Researcher 11(4): 79–88.

18.

National Audit Office (NAO) (2012) An Update on the Government’s Approach to Tackling Obesity. London: NAO.

19.

National Audit Office and Health Care Commission (2006) Tackling Obesity – First Steps. London: HMSO.

20.

Fleming

Robinson

et al . (2014) Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet 384: 746.

21.

NHS Information Centre (2011) Health Survey of England: Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet. London: HMSO.

22.

NICE (2013) Managing Overweight and Obesity among Children and Young People: Lifestyle Weight Management Services. London: NICE.

23.

NICE (2014) Weight Management: Lifestyle Services for Overweight or Obese Adults. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph53 (accessed 28 June 2018).

24.

NICE (2017) Obesity Prevention: Clinical Guideline CG43. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg43 (accessed 14 October 2017).

25.

Office of Health Economics (2010) Shedding the Pounds: Obesity Management, NICE Guidance and Bariatric Surgery in England. London: Office of Health Economics.

26.

Office of National Statistics (2012) Population Estimates for 2012. Available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_320900.pdf (accessed 3 February 2017).

27.

Public Health England (PHE) (2013) National Child Measurement Programme: Briefing for Elected Members. London: PHE.

28.

Public Health England (PHE) (2014) Public Health England and Association of Directors of Public Health Survey Findings: Tackling Obesity. London: PHE.

29.

Public Health England (PHE) (2015) Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England. Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20180328133908/http://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB23742 (accessed 28 June 2018).

30.

Ritchie

Lewis

(2003) Qualitative Research Practice: A Guide for Social Science Students and Researchers. London: SAGE.

31.

Roberts

Cavill

Rutter

et al . (2009) Standard Evaluation Framework for Weight Management Interventions. London: National Obesity Observatory.

32.

Royal College of Physicians (RCP) (2013) Action on Obesity: Comprehensive Care for All (Report of a Working Party). London: RCP.

33.

Stegenga

Haines

Jones

et al . (2014) Identification, assessment, and management of overweight and obesity: Summary of updated NICE guidance. BMJ 349: g6608.

34.

Swinburn

Sacks

Hall

et al . (2011) The global obesity pandemic: Shaped by global drivers and local environments. The Lancet 378: 804–814.

35.

Tong

Sainsbury

Craig

(2007) Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): A 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. International Journal of Qualitative Health Care 19(6): 349–357.

36.

Visram

Hall

Geddes

(2013) Getting the balance right: Qualitative evaluation of holistic weight management intervention to address childhood obesity. Journal of Public Health 35(2): 246–254.

37.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2017a) 10 Facts on Obesity. Available from: http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/obesity/en (accessed 14 October 2107).

38.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2017b) Factsheet on Overweight and Obesity. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en (accessed 9 October 2017).

Supplementary Material

Please find the following supplemental material available below.

For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.

For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.

0.00 MB

0.65 MB

A qualitative evaluation of healthy weight services in a local authority in England