Statistics launched this week showed that in the 2023/24 school year, 76.5% of primary one children in Greater Glasgow and Clyde were measured to have a healthy weight. However, 21.9% were at risk of overweight or obesity, and 1.6% were at risk of underweight.
A programme having success in addressing these challenges is NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Thrive Under Five (TU5). TU5 is a whole-system, long-term approach to support children under the age of five in achieving a healthy weight, in addition to tackling food insecurity and providing families with the resources and knowledge to make healthier choices.
TU5 has implemented various initiatives to break barriers to healthy eating and provide access to healthy ingredients, meals, and cooking skills, including:
- Weekly Vouchers: Partnering with Alexandra Rose Charity to provide families with fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Community Pantry Memberships: Annual memberships and 12 shops worth £30 each to support access to affordable healthy food.
- Flat Pack Meals: Delivery of six vegetarian meals, including recipes and QR codes for instructional videos, using locally sourced vegetables.
- Cooking Skills Classes: Community classes for parents and carers, offering certifications to support employment opportunities.
- Cooking Equipment Vouchers: Enabling families to purchase necessary cooking equipment.
- Cooking Utensils: Provided by retail partners.
- Physical Activity Programs: Including “Womb to Move” for 0-2 years and “Fit by Five” for 2-5 years.
Beatrix Von Wissman, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said:
“Thrive Under Five is more than nutritional advice and recipes. We’re taking a holistic approach to help families create healthier lifestyles when their children are at a young age and that includes varied levels of support.
“For example, in its first year, Thrive Under Five established a network of partners, including Money Matters, to respond to community needs. Families that were referred to the programme were linked with Money Matters to assess their financial circumstances and receive ongoing advice on income maximisation.”
In its first year, 630 families engaged with TU5 services or received food support. The food shop voucher scheme benefited 47 families, with nearly 10,000 vouchers issued by Alexandra Rose Charity. Community grants of up to £7,500 were awarded in all three GGC areas. Free physical activity sessions for children were integrated into the programme, delivered by third sector partners across all TU5 neighbourhoods in Glasgow.
The pilot supported local food growing projects and encouraged active travel through its physical activity component.
The TU5 programme has been extended to Inverclyde, Renfrewshire, and East Renfrewshire, with expanded provision in Glasgow city. This programme complements the NHSGGC HENRY child healthy weight programme, which is delivered by Health Visiting teams and offers additional support sessions by Early Years Scotland and Possibilities for Each and Every Kid (PEEK) in North-East Glasgow. HENRY provides universal support to all children under five and targeted support for families with children up to 12 years of age.
Both programmes aim to tackle inequalities by supporting healthier lifestyle choices through a whole-system approach involving children and families, and third sector partners.
