On 22 February the Scottish Government launched a long-term obesity strategy, Preventing Overweight and Obesity: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight. The Route Map identired four key areas in which action is likely to have the greatest effect – reducing demand for and consumption of excessive amounts of high calorie foods and drinks; increasing opportunities …
Policy news
Schools to benefit from Recipe for Success
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment, Richard Lochhead, recently unveiled plans by the Scottish Government to teach children and young people about the supply chain and where food comes from as well as how it benefits their health, the economy and the environment. Activities will include: food and farming visits for 1800 primary …
Posted in Policy news
Community food sector as a key contributor to health
In 2007 the Scottish Government launched its National Performance Framework which includes one overarching purpose, strategic objectives, 15 national outcomes and 45 national indicators. This outcomes focused approach details the national outcomes which the Scottish Government believe need to be achieved in order to make Scotland wealthier and fairer, safer and stronger, smarter, greener and …
Posted in Policy news
Healthy Weight Communities trial launched
Public Health Minister Shona Robison has launched a trial programme to bring whole communities, towns or cities together to eat more healthily and be more active in addressing childhood obesity. Eight sites will take part in the programme: Dundee, Dumfries, SW Glasgow, North and East Ayrshire, West Lothian, North Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire. This trial …
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Community Empowerment Plan
The Scottish Government has launched its community empowerment action plan, which builds on its joint statement with CoSLA on community empowerment in 2008. The action plan sets out a range of new and practical actions that underpin the process of community empowerment. New initiatives include a participatory budgeting pilot and an investment in the community …
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Healthy Weight Communities pathfinder announced
The Healthy Eating, Active Living action plan set out the intention to establish a handful of Healthy Weight Communities across Scotland. These pathfinder programmes will aim to prevent obesity and associated illnesses, with an emphasis on addressing health inequalities. The objective of the Healthy Weight Communities will be to demonstrate the ways in which gathering …
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Support for children and families
A transformational framework to improve the life chances of Scotland’s children and tackle inequalities by targeting the early years was launched by the Scottish Government and COSLA last week. The Early Years Framework, developed in collaboration with independent experts during the past nine months, sets out a radical shift away from the culture of crisis …
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Healthy Start for kids at school
Pilot projects aimed at improving children’s health by providing targeted health-related services at school were unveiled yesterday by the Scottish Government as the first Equally Well implementation plan was published. The first children’s health and wellbeing support pilot gets underway in South Ayrshire in January, followed by others in Moray, West Lothian and Clackmannanshire. Public …
Posted in Policy news
Healthy eating and active living
A new action plan, ‘Healthy Eating, Active Living’, targeting obesity, poor diet and the promotion of physical exercise has been launched by the Scottish Government, highlighting an additional £40 million pounds of new funding to be provided over the next three years. The plan will have a focus on tackling health inequalities through targeted healthy …
Posted in Policy news
Scottish Grocer’s Federation Healthyliving Programme expansion
A joint £1.3 million investment from the Scottish Government and retailers to promote healthier food options in convenience stores has recently been announced. The Scottish Government plans to invest £679,000 over three years to extend the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) Healthyliving Programme, matched by a £650,000 investment from retailers. The Healthyliving Programme provides shops with …