News / Health
Doctors’ orders: target health of children
With deprivation higher than the national average, academics, health specialists, parents and community groups tasked with improving services and advice
A new project to improve the health of children across Bristol begins tomorrow, with experts from across the city joining forces to try to tackle the inequalities faced by 20,000 youngsters living in poverty.
With deprivation in the city higher than the national average, a team of academics, public health specialists, parents and community groups will be tasked with improving services and advice available at grass-roots level.
Bristol has more children under 15 than it has adults aged over 65, but suffers from acute inequalities across the city.
Close to one in seven children entering school in poorer areas are classed as obese compared to one in 50 in some wealthier neighbourhoods. Also, the number of fast food outlets in Bristol is among the highest in the country.
Meanwhile, deprived wards within the city have a much higher rate of dental fillings in children under five than more prosperous areas.
The report is inspired by the Marmot Review of Britain’s ‘health versus wealth’ in 2010, which found an alarming ‘social gradient’ leading to people living in the poorest neighbourhoods in England dying on average seven years earlier than people living in the richest neighbourhoods.
Dr Patricia Lucas, from the University of Bristol’s School for Policy Studies, is leading the research alongside Jo Williams, Consultant in Child Public Health at Bristol City Council. They are part of the Bristol Network for Early Years Health and Wellbeing (BoNEE) group, funded by Bristol Health Partners, the Cabot Institute and the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute.
Dr Lucas said: “The early years, from pregnancy to the age of seven, are very important for lifelong health. This is a time of growth and development, when bones, bodies and minds are at their most flexible and changeable. Small differences in these early years can make big differences to our health, so we need to make sure every child has the best start.”
Jo Williams added: “A child’s experiences during the early years lay down a foundation for the whole of their life. We know that children’s early experiences vary hugely across our city but we want to enable all children to have a healthy start regardless of their background and circumstances.”
Youngsters aged two and three will help to get the project underway tomorrow at a workshop being held at the new Cashmore Nursery in Barton Hill. The children will be encouraged to draw, paint, print or make collages to explore their ideas about healthy bodies.
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