Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme

In 2019, we became 1 of 5 trailblazer councils to lead an innovative programme to tackle childhood obesity. We were awarded £300,000 over 3 years (2019 to 2022) to test and refine ideas for addressing childhood obesity and health inequalities across Birmingham.

Our trials, which could help shape future national policy, were supported by:

• the Department of Health and Social Care
• the Local Government Association
• Public Health England (PHE)
• University of Birmingham

We took over the delivery and conclusion of the Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme (COTP) in 2021, to make the most of the learning and opportunities created since 2019.

We developed and aligned the following 3 workstreams.

Work stream 1: Integrate public health into built environment processes

• Embedding public health considerations into planning processes.
• Creating a whole system approach to public health and planning that continuously changes at all levels of intervention.

Work stream 2: Capture food system insights and data

• Developing empowering tools and resources, such as the East Birmingham Community Food Research Project, Birmingham Youth Voices in Food Assessment Resources, and the Affordable Food Map.
• Facilitating and building upon best practice through work with ongoing programmes, such as East Birmingham Inclusive Growth Strategy, The Mandala Consortium and, The Food Justice Network.

Work stream 3: Embed health literacy development - identify barriers and enablers to implementation and practice

• Developing innovative new approaches and building on existing best practice health literacy resources, such as:
  • the creation of our spiral curriculum with the University of Birmingham
  • developing culturally diverse healthy eating guidance
  • creating a thriving local network on the international platform, Samsung Food, for sharing nutritious food.

Outcome and report

In August 2022, we submitted the final evaluation report for the COTP to the Local Government Association. The report highlights the achievements of the COTP and the key lessons from what worked well and what was challenging.

A test and learn approach was taken. This allowed us to track progress and milestones and to adapt our approach as required.

Key successes

• We created a Healthy City Planning Toolkit to support the Health Impact Assessment of planning processes, and designed it as a 'living document' that can be built on in the future. Birmingham’s approach goes beyond those recommended in national toolkits, and includes protected characteristics and digital technology. We have also developed an action plan to support the future embedding of public health in planning processes as part of a whole system approach. In addition, we have looked at how planning and land use can be considered from other angles, including a community-growth perspective.
• We developed strong relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders and partners across Birmingham. This reduced duplication in tools and increased innovation and solutions. The conversations during the initial scoping of this work stream led the Mandala Consortium to focus their food system research project on Birmingham. We have ongoing projects with community researchers and young people to develop tools that will be shared and make an impact for years to come.
• A team at the University of Birmingham evaluated work stream 3 and captured valuable insights and learning that will guide future health literacy projects.

What we learned

• Develop strong relationships and communication with stakeholders and partners, as many solutions are already out there, or could be achieved through partnership working.
• Map existing processes before developing solutions. Use this to identify opportunities and potential challenges. A solution that does not fit into existing processes will likely not be adopted.
• Create 'living documents' that can be updated, rather than tools that cannot be changed, to allow for guidance and policy that continuously develop.

There will be a lasting legacy for each of the work streams, as they have been integrated into other projects and embedded into the Birmingham Food System Strategy. The learning gathered through the Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme will shape future approaches to tackling obesity in Birmingham.

Download the Birmingham Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme final evaluation report.

Find out more about the programme on the Local Government Association website.

Page last updated: 28 April 2026