Major new scheme launched to slim down overweight people all over Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes City Council has made a special declaration to stamp out obesity in the city.

Some 26% of adults in MK are classed as obese, as well as 24% of children in the 10 to 11 age bracket.

Now the council has joined forces with Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and signed a declaration to promote choices to help local people reach and sustain a healthy weight.

This is only the second time that a council has partnered with the NHS on the initiative. And the aim is to help adults and children understand and access heathier choices.

The ‘Milton Keynes Healthy Weight Declaration’ was signed on Tuesday at the hospital, where Chief Medical Officer Dr Ian Reckless said: “We recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet, alongside participating in regular exercise, in leading a happy and healthy lifestyle.

"As a hospital, it is crucial that we are working collaboratively with our partners across the city to ensure patients are offered the right information and support to make informed choices. We look forward to working alongside the city council to drive forward this important programme.”

The university hospital already runs a number of initiatives including promoting nutritional and balanced meals to patients and to its workforce, even developing an allotment that will provide its on-site restaurant with a range of fresh ingredients

And the city council also runs initiatives to help local people access help and support to achieve a healthy weight. This includes funding leisure facilities as well as specific projects to help adults and children become more active - including a new trial among people with diabetes using wearable technology.

Cllr Jane Carr, Cabinet member for Inequalities and Child Poverty, said: “Children living with obesity are much more likely to live with obesity as adults, which increases the risk of serious conditions that impact quality of life. It is important to have this commitment to healthy weight at a council level to ensure healthy weight is considered in all local policies. I’m really pleased that we’ve joined our hospital colleagues by taking this step.”.”

The healthy weight declaration was developed by North West based charity, Food Active. It was first adopted by Blackpool Council in 2016 where it has been shown to have a positive impact on policy at local authority level.

Dozens of councils across the country have now adopted the Declaration.

Meanwhile, there is information about healthy weight and eating well on Milton Keynes City Council’s website here.

The website states: “A healthy, balanced diet involves eating a wide variety of nutritious food and drink in the right proportions to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. It is recommended that men have around 2,500 calories a day and women around 2,000 calories a day. A poor diet is linked to poor health and illness such as Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer and Stroke to name a few.