Increasing understanding of the growth of hot food take-aways: the role of Environmental Health

Environmental Health plays a key role in shaping local environments and has a wealth of skills and knowledge directly influencing health determinants and healthy environments – but is often a hidden resource. South Tyneside Council’s Environmental Health database was used to extract reliable data on Hot Food Take Aways HFTAs), including location, type of HFTA and change in profile over time (5 years). Using Geographical Information Systems this was mapped on to local political boundaries and overlaid with child and adult obesity levels, deprivation, town centres and location of schools shown with a radius of 400m. The results showed a 69% increase in HFTA premises over a 5 year period and the clustering of these premises particularly in deprived areas. Locally this intelligence was developed and shared with Public Health and Planning colleagues to inform future action. Tackling obesity is complex and requires understanding of the relationship between the social, economic and physical environment alongside individual risk factors. Whilst use of the planning framework is often cited as a solution, there remains a degree of caution about the practicalities of using this systematically to control the growth of this sector. Environmental Health is a strong source of useful high quality local public health intelligence and has both a regulatory and educative role with food businesses, which presents an opportunity to use this data systematically, develop business insight and work with businesses to provide healthier food