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East Sussex whole-system healthy weight plan 2021-2026

Foreword

Increasing healthy weight in our county is more important now than it has ever been. Living with excess weight is a well-established risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, many cancers, liver and respiratory disease. However, a growing evidence base also suggests that it is associated with serious Covid-19 illness and death.

Enabling people to achieve and maintain a healthier weight is not as simple as ensuring everyone has access to a healthy and nutritious diet and is able to undertake regular physical activity. For us to increase the number of people who have a healthier weight, we need partners across the system to work together to address all the causal factors which lead to an unhealthy weight and physical inactivity. Alongside ensuring people have access to high quality, evidence-based behaviour change support, this includes such things as improving access to and safety of cycle lanes, ensuring planning and development prioritises physical activity and making our outdoor spaces safe and accessible for all.

The pandemic has presented us with many opportunities and challenges, such as the importance of outdoor spaces for increasing physical activity and for improving health and wellbeing, and our need to address digital exclusion as a barrier to accessing physical activity. It has also illustrated how fragile our food system is and that if we are going to be more resilient to future outbreaks, whilst reducing our environmental impact, we need to attain food security for the county. Achieving it could deliver a range of benefits for the population of East Sussex. Alongside a reduction in malnutrition and improved health and wellbeing, secure access to food could drive economic growth and job creation, a reduction in the environmental impact of food production and distribution, a reduction in food waste and even an increase in food tourism through promotion of local produce.

I would like to thank all partners who have co-produced this plan and will be involved in its delivery.

Darrell Suit Shading
Darrell Gale, Director of Public Health
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Background

The East Sussex healthy weight plan is aimed at increasing the number of people in the county who have a healthier weight and are completing recommended levels of physical activity.

It sets out our approach for tackling unhealthy weight (both overweight and underweight) and physical inactivity over the next five years, with a focus on system-wide prevention and early intervention.

Living in an obesogenic environment

Our environment has a significant impact on the choices we make relating to food and physical activity. Unhealthy food and drink choices (including alcohol), which are often high in fat, salt, and sugar, can be easier to access than healthier options. Changes to how we work and spend our leisure time also means that we tend to be less active and lead more sedentary lifestyles than previous generations. The coronavirus pandemic has heightened this issue, with many more people working from home, and social distancing and restrictions on movement severely limiting opportunities to exercise. All of this means that most of the adult population in England is now living with overweight or obesity. Although most children and young people remain a healthy weight, the number of those living with overweight or obesity is increasing, and this may increase further because of the pandemic.

Food poverty

Food poverty and resulting malnourishment is also an issue, with many people experiencing an inability to obtain affordable healthy food. There are several factors which can influence this, including income, availability of healthy foods, knowledge of what makes a healthy diet and the skills to make healthy meals.

Again, this issue has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, with more people turning to foodbanks than ever to avoid going hungry. Foodbanks in East Sussex experienced a 168% increase in demand in May 2020, compared with May 2019.

Unhealthy weight and physical inactivity do not affect all groups equally

Underweight, overweight and obesity, and physical inactivity don’t affect all people in our country equally.  People living in disadvantaged areas, older age groups, some black and minority ethnic groups and people living with disability are disproportionately affected.

The benefits of a healthier weight

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active is highly beneficial. It can reduce the risk of developing a wide range of diseases, including:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Hypertension
  • Some cancers
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Liver disease

It is also associated with improved psychological and emotional health, better sleep and reduced musculoskeletal problems.

The costs of unhealthy weight and physical inactivity

The costs of overweight and obesity, and physical inactivity are having a significant impact on our economy.  The NHS is estimated to spend £6.1 billion each year treating obesity-related ill health. Local authority social care costs are estimated at £352 million per year. And, the wider societal costs are estimated at £27 billion. The cost of malnutrition in England is estimated to be £19.6 billion per year. Meanwhile, the costs of physical inactivity are estimated to be around £7.4 billion per year.

Tackling the causes of unhealthy weight and physical inactivity

The causes of unhealthy weight and physical inactivity are a complex combination of our individual biology and psychology, the environment we live in and societal and cultural influences which can impact on our decisions. To improve the health of our population and to address health inequalities we need collective action across all these elements. This will only be possible through a collaborative, whole–system response.

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The current picture in East Sussex

This section summarises obesity prevalence, physical activity levels and healthy eating in East Sussex.

Obesity prevalence

Obesity in early pregnancy: 22.8% in East Sussex (similar to the national average)

Reception year prevalence of obesity (inc overweight): 23.4% in East Sussex (similar to the national average)

Reception year prevalence of obesity (including overweight) – East Sussex 23.4%

Whole System Healthy Weight Plan Infographics 01

Data from the Public Health England Obesity profile - Reception: Prevalence of overweight (including obesity).

Reception: prevalence of overweight (including obesity) for each district and borough: 

  • Eastbourne: 27.6% (worse than the national average)
  • Hastings: 24.9% 
  • Lewes: 20.3% 
  • Rother: 24.9% 
  • Wealden: 20.3% (better than the national average) 

All figures are similar to the national average unless stated.

Year 6 prevalence of obesity (including overweight) – East Sussex 28.2%

Whole System Healthy Weight Plan Infographics 02

Data from the Public Health England Obesity profile - Year 6: Prevalence of overweight (including obesity).

Year 6: prevalence of overweight (including obesity) for each district and borough: 

  • Eastbourne: 30.9% (better than the national average)
  • Hastings: 32.6% 
  • Lewes: 23.5% (better than the national average) 
  • Rother: 28.3% (better than the national average) 
  • Wealden: 26.4% (better than the national average)

All figures are similar to the national average unless stated.

Percentage of adults classified as overweight or obese – East Sussex 62.5% 

Whole System Healthy Weight Plan Infographics 03

Data from the Public Health England Obesity profile - Percentage of adults (aged 18+) classified as overweight or obese.

Percentage of adults classified as overweight or obese in each district and borough:

  • Eastbourne: 65.8% 
  • Hastings: 61.1%
  • Lewes: 59.2%
  • Rother: 63.4%
  • Wealden: 62.5%

All figures are similar to the national average unless stated.

Percentage of physically active children and young people – East Sussex 52.2%

Whole System Healthy Weight Plan Infographics 04

Data from the Public Health England Obesity profile - Percentage of physically active children and young people.

Percentage of physically active children and young people in each district and borough:

  • Eastbourne: 50.6%
  • Hastings: 59.8% (better than the national average)
  • Lewes: 50.1%
  • Rother: 44.7%
  • Wealden: 52.9% (better than the national average)

All figures are similar to the national average unless stated.

Percentage of physically active adults – East Sussex 67.8%

Whole System Healthy Weight Plan Infographics 05

Data from the Public Health England Obesity profile - Percentage of physically active adults.

Percentage of physically active adults in each district and borough:

  • Eastbourne 69.2%
  • Hastings 65.9%
  • Lewes 69.6%
  • Rother 65.1%
  • Wealden 68.4%

All figures are similar to the national average unless stated.

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Introducing a whole-system approach

Since the 2007 Foresight Report ‘Tackling Obesities: Future Choices report’ there has been a growing body of evidence which supports the use of a whole-systems approach as an effective method to help towards tackling complex issues, such as obesity.

Healthy weight is a perfect example of a complex issue which has numerous biological, environmental, and societal cultural factors which influence its development.  Its impact is also far reaching, from the effect it has on a person’s physical and mental health at an individual level through to the impact it has on health services delivery or the economic costs it creates at a population level. An issue such as this requires a long-term, systemic approach to try to resolve it.

Tackling unhealthy weight is like using sandbags as a flood defence—in isolation, each sandbag is unable to stop the flood. It’s only when we have many sandbags working effectively as a whole that we can have a flood defence that works.

Traditional vs systems working

Whole System Healthy Weight Plan Infographics 10

A whole-system approach is defined by Public Health England as:

“A local whole systems approach responds to complexity through an ongoing, dynamic and flexible way of working. It enables local stakeholders, including communities, to come together, share an understanding of the reality of the challenge, consider how the local system is operating and where there are the greatest opportunities for change. Stakeholders agree actions and decide as a network how to work together in an integrated way to bring about sustainable, long term systems change”.

A whole systems approach encompasses ‘Health in All Policies’. It brings partners together from across a spectrum of organisations and sectors to create plans which focus on both the specific needs and assets of a place. The approach aims to effectively engage with communities and work with them to find the best solutions.

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Developing a whole-system plan

To develop whole-system plan which aims to increase healthy weight and physical activity in East Sussex, partners have undertaken the following stages:

Building the local picture

Data and insight gathered to demonstrate the impact of obesity and physical inactivity locally.

Review of actions within existing plan (2016-19).

Identification of key organisations, departments and individuals currently engaged in supporting the healthy weight agenda and potential gaps.

Mapping the local system

A stakeholder event was held in February 2019 to celebrate the achievements of existing partners and introduce new partners to the agenda.

Partners were introduced to the concept of a whole system approach to tackling obesity.

Workshops were facilitated with partners, aiming to map the local system by identifying the local causal factors that lead to unhealthy weight and physical inactivity

Post event, work continued with partners to refine and develop through further workshops.

Nine individual systems maps were then collated to create the East Sussex Healthy Weight Systems Map, which demonstrates the multiple causal factors influencing the system.

Prioritisation

Eight thematic areas of the system map were identified.

In July 2019, the Healthy Weight Partnership was asked to prioritise three thematic areas of action which they believed they, or their organisations, could influence (i.e. via knowledge, leadership, expertise, resource etc.).

The three priority action areas chosen, alongside overarching actions, were:

  • Environment
  • Physical Activity
  • Food

Action planning

In October 2019 and January 2020, the Healthy Weight Partnership collectively proposed actions and reviewed how they aligned with the East Sussex system map.

Actions were reviewed to understand at which system level they were intervening; event, structure, goal, or belief (see appendix A).

System network

In addition to developing the plan, throughout 2019/20 the Healthy Weight Partnership reflected on its leadership, governance, collaboration, and the overall experience.

Areas identified as working well included: An overall understanding of what the partnership is trying to achieve; a sense we are achieving more together than as individual organisations; a good level of trust and respect between partners; and seeing value in committing their time to the partnership.

Areas identified for improvement included: Using individual’s abilities and skills within the partnerships effectively; establishing clearly defined roles and responsibilities; having a clear process for planning and implementing actions; and establishing a clear framework for monitoring progress.

Reflect and refresh

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the April 2020 plan launch was postponed.

The pandemic was an opportunity to reflect on the plan and strengthen it in such areas as food security and sustainability, which due to the pandemic had become apparent as gaps. It was also an opportunity to reconsider actions considering the changes Covid-19 has made to our world. The plan was reviewed and refreshed between July and January, in collaboration between the Healthy Weight Partnership and new partners who were identified as part of the Covid-19 response.

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Our priority areas for action

There are four areas we have prioritised for action.

Physical activity

To increase physical activity levels in East Sussex, we will:

  • Work with the sport and physical activity workforce to ensure that physical activity is for all and to create a wide range of opportunities that people can engage with, allowing the population of East Sussex to find an option which best suits their personal preference and needs.
  • Work with organisations beyond the partnership to promote the benefits of providing an offer which supports inactive individuals to become more active.
  • Make walking and cycling the easier choice for short journeys or part of longer journeys wherever possible.
  • Work with health and social care organisations across the system to embed physical activity into policies and processes

Table data source: Public Health Profiles - PHE

Food

To increase healthy eating in East Sussex, we will:

  • Work with partners to improve diet and nutrition for new-born and young children
  • Create an environment where healthy food is the preferred choice, whether eating in or out of the home.
  • Tackle food poverty and build food security across the county
  • Ensure people living with a Long-Term Condition have the knowledge, skills, confidence, and opportunity to improve their diet and nutrition.

Environment

To create an environment in East Sussex which promotes healthy weight, we will:

  • Work with educational sector partners to embed healthy weight activity within education settings
  • Ensure that healthy weight and physical activity is prioritised within local planning and development processes
  • Improve access, promotion, and safety of public outdoor spaces, and encourage a sense of shared ownership by those who use them.
  • Work with employees and employers to improve the role of the workplace in increasing physical activity and improving diet and nutrition.

Table data source: Public Health Profiles - PHE and Healthy Start uptake data

Overarching

We will work as a unified system to improve outcomes around healthier weight and physical activity, especially for the most vulnerable in our county, by:

  • Using and sharing data to gain a better understanding of the impact of our actions and how the system responds.

  • Focusing on those disproportionally affected by health inequalities.

  • Develop a comprehensive and seamless pathway between all levels of weight management support to ensure people are able to access the most appropriate level of support, based on their needs and preferences.

We will work with colleagues across the wider local system to describe the complex and interrelated factors causing unhealthy weight and inactivity to:

  • Increase the understanding of what is contributing locally to the issues.
  • Maximise synergies and reduce friction between organisations/partners to enable efficient delivery of prioritised actions.
  • Expand the membership and diversity of the Healthy Weight Partnership.

We will work with the communities of East Sussex to illustrate the complex and interrelated factors causing obesity and inactivity to:

  • Increase understanding in local communities on what is driving obesity and inactivity in their area and how best to tackle these issues at a local level.
  • Ensure that citizens and communities are at the heart of future developments of the system map and plan.
  • Encourage the co-production of local action to increase healthy weight and physical activity.
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The East Sussex Healthy Weight Partnership

The East Sussex Healthy Weight Partnership is a collaboration between partners from organisations across the system working towards a shared aim of increasing healthy weight and physical activity levels in the county.

The current membership includes representation from local authorities, the Clinical Commissioning Group, the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector, service providers, fire and rescue, County Council communications, Active Partnerships, children’s services, school nursing and patient/service user representation. However, we hope to expand the membership during the lifespan of this plan.

The previous Healthy Weight Plan began to bring partners together to produce local action and much was achieved in addressing behaviours at an individual level. This plan seeks to build upon those achievements and give more focus to population level changes, especially around the wider determinants of health.

The Healthy weight partnership will report into and contribute to the outcomes of the prevention, personalisation and reducing health inequalities elements of the East Sussex Health and Care Plan.

Systems working behaviours

A range of systems working behaviours underpin whole systems working at a local level. The behaviours described below draw on systems science and have been compiled from working with local authorities to develop a whole systems approach. The healthy weight partnership’s delivery of this plan will be informed and in line with these behaviours.

Systems working behaviours: environment for change, shared aspiration, strategic learning, collective action, communication mechanisms, governance structures, systems thinking and mindset.

In many ways, the systems working behaviours above are already exhibited across the local system.  However, putting these behaviours into practice is an ongoing process.

Through the delivery of this plan we hope to improve the understanding of the importance of these behaviours across the local system and to implement them in a meaningful way, better aligning ourselves to achieve the greatest possible outcomes.

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Glossary

Glossary of terms related to this plan.

Healthy weight

For adults, a healthy weight is defined as the appropriate body weight in relation to height.  The most common measurement for this is Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing an adult's weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared. A BMI:

  • under 18.5 is considered to be underweight
  • between 18.5 and 24.9 indicates that someone is the healthy weight range for their height
  • between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight
  • of 30 or more, is considered obese

There is a slight variation in ranges for different ethnic groups and it’s important to note that BMI is not always the most accurate way of assessing healthy weight. For example, a large athlete with lots of muscles may have a BMI over 30 but may still have a healthy body composition and so would not be considered obese.

For children and young people, overweight is defined differently than it is for adults. Children are still growing, and boys and girls develop at different rates. BMI for children and young people is determined by using a BMI chart that compares their weight and height along with growth charts. The growth charts use a child's BMI, age, and sex to produce a BMI percentile. A child's BMI percentile shows how his or her BMI compares with other boys or girls of the same age. A child or young person that is between the 85th and 95th percentile on the growth chart is considered at risk of overweight. A child or young person that is at the 95th percentile or above is considered overweight. 

Physical activity

The World Health Organisation defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure – including activities undertaken while working, playing, carrying out household chores, travelling, and engaging in recreational pursuits.

Adults should undertake:

  • 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity (such as brisk walking or cycling) each week; or
  • 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity (such as running); or
  • even shorter durations of very vigorous intensity activity (such as sprinting or stair climbing); or
  • a combination of moderate, vigorous and very vigorous intensity activity

An adult is physically inactive if they complete less than 30 minutes of physical activity each week.

Children and young people should undertake moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity for an average of at least 60 minutes per day across the week. They should engage in a variety of types and intensities of physical activity across the week to develop movement skills, muscular fitness, and bone strength.

Everyone should aim to minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary, and when physically possible should break up long periods of inactivity with at least light physical activity.

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Appendix A: Taking action within a complex system

In order to change our system from one where it’s difficult for people to maintain a healthy weight to one where the likelihood of the population having a healthy weight is increased, we need to take action across four different levels— events, structures, goals and beliefs.

In the actions scales model below, the different levels are represented as weights, with each level holding a different weighting for systems change. The larger the weight, the greater the likelihood for systems change but the harder these changes are to bring about. This model was used by the partnership to identify a coherent set of actions that are more likely to bring about sustainable systems change.

Action scales model

Events

These are happening now and can be seen in our day-to-day lives. They are the behaviours and outcomes that arise from how the system functions. Actions at this level generally provide short term fixes, but do not address the underlying structures that caused the behaviours/outcomes to occur in the first place.

Structures

These are the underlying structures that cause the events to occur, such as the physical infrastructure, relationships between parts of the system and the flow of information across the system. Actions at this level, which seek to reshape or redesign these structures, are more likely to reduce the frequency of events occurring in the future.

Goals

These are the goals that the system, or a part of the system, is working to achieve. The system goals drive the system structures. Competing goals across the system may also make it harder for change to occur. Actions taken at this level alter the goals, targets or ambitions that the system - and people within the system - are aiming to achieve. 

Beliefs

These are the deeply held beliefs, norms, attitudes and values of individuals and organisations within the system. They allow the system to keep functioning as it does and are reflected in system goals. Actions taken at this level aim to change the deeply held beliefs of stakeholders and/or organisations who steer the direction of the system and sub-systems.

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Appendix B: Detailed action plan

Physical activity

Action area
Developing and supporting the sport and physical activity workforce
Event level actions
Deliver training and networking to help support the development of the sport and physical activity workforce to enable them to provide an enhanced, tailored and supportive offer to inactive individuals. 
System structures level actions
Sustain the active partnerships networks in Hastings and Rother and develop similar partnerships in other areas of East Sussex where they currently do not exist and where there is an identified need.
System goals level action
Increase the proportion of the professional workforce across East Sussex who have participated in professional development that will enhance their delivery of physical activity opportunities or the importance of physical activity.   
System beliefs level action
The sport and physical activity workforce recognised the importance of professional development  to support the ethos that ‘physical activity is for all’ allowing them to deliver a wide range of participation opportunities, allowing the population of East Sussex to find an option which best suits their personal preference and needs.
Action area
Supporting inactive people to become more active
Event level actions
Providers offer affordable physical activity opportunities to encourage and support participation from those least likely to be active (e.g. disabled, LTC’s, older people, ethnically diverse people, women & girls) using local/national data and insight to target resources.
System structures level actions
Utilise the development of leisure centres and other key community facilities across East Sussex to ensure that new and existing facilities are welcoming and appropriate for inactive individuals.
System goals level action
Where appropriate, include measures to support inactive people to become more active within service level agreements /contracts.
System beliefs level action
Providers understand and embrace the benefits of delivering an offer which supports inactive individuals to become for active.
Action area
Increasing the number of people who walk or cycle for travel
Event level actions
Deliver behaviour change programmes which support individuals across East Sussex to increase their knowledge, ability, and confidence to travel in an active and sustainable way using local/national data and insight to target resources.
System structures level actions
Deliver the East Sussex Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan to improve and increase cycling and walking infrastructure networks, subject to available funding.
System goals level action
Develop and implement a Walking and Cycling Strategy for East Sussex which will support a range of national and local strategy documents related to transport, environment, economy & planning and social & health.
System beliefs level action
Walking and cycling are the first choice for short journeys or as part of longer journeys for East Sussex residents.
Action area
Improving access to physical activity
Event level actions
Provide easily accessible information to health care professionals on the range of local physical activity opportunities available to their clients.
System structures level actions
Work with health and social care organisations across the system to embed physical activity into policies and processes. 
System goals level action
Integrate physical activity into all relevant health and social care referral pathways.
System beliefs level action
The importance of physical activity is recognised across the health and social care system, at all levels (e.g. ICS, Health and social care, NHS Trusts, CCG, Primary Care Networks), as a key part of a holistic approach to prevention and improving people’s physical, mental and social health and wellbeing.

Food

Action area
Improving diet and nutrition in new-born and young children
Event level actions
Provide accessible information to parents and carers of new-born and young children on the importance of early years' nutrition /infant feeding.
System structures level actions
Support front line early years practitioners (across a range of settings) to consistently provide advice and resources on early years nutrition/infant feeding (to include training, development of policies, etc) as part of their role.
System goals level action
ESHT Maternity Services achieve Level 3 Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) accreditation by December 2023. Health Visiting and Children Centres (Early Help Service 0-19) maintain Level 3 BFI accreditation.  As part of the Healthy Active Little Ones (HALO) programme: 60% of early years settings achieve the HALO Award or HALO Excellence Award (or improvement in line with specified award criteria) by July 2024.
System beliefs level action
Parents see human milk as the norm for babies. Nutrition is fundamental for good health and development during the early years of life.
Action area
Creating a healthy eating environment
Event level actions
Promote the benefits of cooking and/or eating healthier food and harm caused by unhealthy food.
System structures level actions
Work with local food outlets and food banks to improve access to healthier food.
System goals level action
Develop and roll out a healthy food charter which recognises achievements made by food outlets to improve access to healthier food.
System beliefs level action
Healthy food is the preferred choice, whether eating in or out of the home.
Action area
Tackling food poverty and building food security
Event level actions
Provide a wide range of opportunities for individuals and families living in food poverty to learn about nutrition, growing your own, food shopping, healthier cooking on a budget and reducing food waste.
System structures level actions
Establish local food partnerships across East Sussex, which focus on all elements of food security, including food poverty, food waste and local / community food production and distribution.
System goals level action
Develop and implement food security action plans within each district and borough of East Sussex, which reflect local need and context, and are co-produced with members of the local community.
System beliefs level action
People recognise that everyone should always have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Action area
Healthy eating with a Long-Term Condition (LTC)
Event level actions
Provide a range of educational opportunities for people newly diagnosed with an LTC. Promote the education using a variety of mediums and imaginative approaches to reach underrepresented groups, such as developing links to faith and community groups.
System structures level actions
Offer digital structured education to people with an LTC within one month of diagnosis and invite them to register for Patients Know Best, the Sussex patient portal which provides supplementary information to compliment the education related to local services and support.
System goals level action
20-40% of people diagnosed with an LTC, attend structured education, with PCNs with the highest level of deprivation and communities of ethnically diverse people to achieve a target of >=20%.
System beliefs level action
People feel knowledgeable about their condition and want to make informed choices about their diet and take control of their own health.

Environment

Action area
Embedding healthy weight activity within education settings
Event level actions
Create and share resources through education settings which provide information on local physical activity opportunities and support parents/carers to be active with their children at home.  Deliver cookery programmes within education settings (as stand-alone or as part of broader weight management programmes). Promote healthy weight messages as part of the curriculum.
System structures level actions
Support education settings to adopt a  ‘whole school’ approach to healthy weight, to include the development of relevant policies, incorporating healthy eating and physical activity across the curriculum, provision of professional development opportunities, facilitating pupil voice, and effective partnerships with external agencies.
System goals level action
Education settings engage in established programmes /accreditation schemes which recognise their commitment to adopting and embedding a ‘whole school’ approach to healthy weight. As part of the East Sussex Healthy Schools Programme, 75% of schools achieve self-validated Healthy Schools status by July 2024. As part of the Healthy Active Little Ones (HALO) programme: 60% of early years settings achieve the HALO Award or HALO Excellence Award (or improvement in line with specified award criteria) by July 2024.
System beliefs level action
Supporting children and young people to develop a healthy and active lifestyle is fundamental to their future life chances (e.g. child development, attainment, future health and wellbeing outcomes, employment, etc).
Action area
Creating a healthier weight environment
Event level actions
Support partners to implement improvements to local areas which promote a ‘healthier weight’ environment.
System structures level actions
Work with the local planning authorities to embed a ‘health in all policies’ approach into their planning processes e.g. health impact assessments, design guides, supplementary planning documents, etc. which support a ‘healthier weight’ environment.
System goals level action
Develop and implement a ‘creating healthy places’ strategic framework for the county which supports a health into place approach.
System beliefs level action
All organisations with responsibility for planning in East Sussex recognise and prioritise getting ‘health into place’ in their local areas.
Action area
Utilising outdoor space for exercising and health reasons
Event level actions
Encourage usage of East Sussex’s natural green and blue environment’s, both urban and rural, through the delivery of targeted activities and appropriate and effective promotion.
System structures level actions
Organisations with responsibility for managing outdoor spaces include health-related activities within plans, policies and strategies which help to support a healthy weight.
System goals level action
Organisations with responsibility for outdoor spaces sign up to a Quality Charter that includes access, promotion, and safety.
System beliefs level action
People see public spaces as their space and a place where they can achieve positive health outcomes.
Action area
Healthier weight in the workplace
Event level actions
Promote and provide opportunities to employees (and volunteers) to support maintenance or achievement of a healthy weight.
System structures level actions
Employers develop and implement policies that support employees to support maintenance or achievement of a healthy weight as part of their working day.     
System goals level action
Employers sign up to the East Sussex Workplace Accreditation Scheme.
System beliefs level action
Employees and employers believe that the workplace environment has a role in supporting health and wellbeing.
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Appendix C: Healthy weight plan an Easy Read summary

This is an easy read summary of the East Sussex healthy weight plan [1.4 MB] [pdf].

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Project partners

As Colour Black
Active Sussex logo
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service logo
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service logo
Happy Baby Club Raspberry
Happy Baby Club logo
Hastings Borough Council
Hastings Borough Council logo
NHS logo
NHS logo
OYES
One You East Sussex logo
Sustrans Join the Movement
Sustrans logo
Thrive Tribe
Thrive Tribe logo
Wealden District Council logo
Wealden District Council logo
AITC Logo Master New
Albion in the Community logo
3VA logo
3VA logo
Stronger Together logo
Stronger Together logo
SCDA logo
SCDA logo
Rother District Council logo
Rother District Council logo
NHS East Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group
Hastings Voluntary Action logo
Hastings Voluntary Action logo
Hastings and St Leonards Food Network logo
Hastings and St Leonards Food Network logo
Wave logo
Wave logo
University of Brighton Logo
University of Brighton logo
SDNP Logo Medium
South Downs National Park Logo

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