Unless you've been living in a box you will have heard about the obesity epidemic which seems to have gripped the nation. Unfortunately Gateshead is not exempt from this. You may have already found Gateshead's Body Mass Index Study on this website, which tells us that 18% of adults in Gateshead are obese. The picture isn't any brighter for Gateshead's children either. From 2001-2003 paediatric referrals (due to obesity) to dietetic services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital were up 150%, from 20 per annum to 50. More recently the referrals between May 2004 and February 2005 stand at 108.

With this in mind, a partnership programme has been launched in Gateshead looking at physical activity, nutrition and behaviour of overweight and obese children. 'Balance it! Getting the balance right' is a holistic programme aimed at overweight and obese children, but also includes support for the child's family.

The programme uses health professionals as the contact and referral point. Details of the programme can be found below. Please feel free to make comments or get in touch with Tom Hall (Project Co-ordinator) on tom.hall@ghpct.nhs.uk if you require any more info or would like to be refer onto the programme.

Download file Programme Outline
Download file Information for Parents/ Carers