There are many sound initiatives which are beginning not only to challenge attitudes towards obesity and its harmful effects but also to encourage individuals to adopt healthier and active lifestyles. Here is a list of examples :

Start Well, Live Well, Age Well (a strategic plan coordinated by Salford a City Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group in encouraging healthy and active lifestyles)

Sugar Smart (a campaign launched by Public Health England encouraging parents to take control of their children’s sugar intake)

Ten Top Tips For Kids (easy tips put together by health professionals to help children eat well, move more and live longer – coordinated through the NHS Change4Life campaign)

Talking To Families About Weight (guidance for health professionals on how tackle issues of weight for those in their care

Beat The Street (a national scheme encouraging walking, cycling and running programmes through a real life game where residents register their activity on special “beat boxes” fixed to lamp posts to see how far they have travelled)

GM Healthier Catering Award (a scheme which encourages the 10,000 catering businesses across GM to meet certain criteria set by dieticians, nutritionists and environmental health officers)

Obesity And The Environment – Regulating The Growth Of Fast Food Outlets (a document published by Public Health England which seeks to limit the growth of fast food outlets -especially near schools- and to make fast food offers healthier)