Job search
Job Search
Latest news
More news: (showing 1 - 20 of 13726)           
UK only International

ukactive and LGA to develop nutrition plan for council-run leisure centres

By Matthew Campelli    04 Oct 2016
Ward said providing nutritional snacks was just as vital as offering accessible physical activity for leisure centre

In an attempt to counter Britain’s childhood obesity epidemic, ukactive will work alongside the Local Government Association (LGA) to help leisure centres offer a healthier range of snacks.

The non-for-profit body and mouthpiece for local councils have been tasked by the Department of Health to find innovative ways of promoting nutritious foods rather than the chocolate bars and cans of pop commonly found in local authority leisure centre vending machines.

A key focus for the project will be to make sure leisure operator vending machines are “broadly compliant” with the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF), which carry requirements such as making sure portions of fruit are less expensive than sugary desserts.

The standards also frown upon products that are high in salt, saturated fat and sugar – a notion that dovetails with a greater promotion of fruit, vegetables, fibre and oily fish.

Over the next few months, ukactive will work with its member base of local authority operators to see what they can implement.

The move follows the publication of the government’s Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action, which emphasised the importance of physical activity, although it was widely derided for its “watered down” approach to nutrition.

Steven Ward, executive director at ukactive, said it was “vital” that leisure centres were “fully set up to facilitate healthy lifestyles” by combining accessible physical activity and low-cost nutritional food options.

“By setting its own high standards, the leisure sector will be in a stronger position to work ever more closely with GPs and health professionals to serve as a frontline delivery partner for exercise referrals and behaviour interventions,” he added. “At a time when the NHS is being stretched to its limits, preventative health measures are paramount and we see leisure centres as the frontline of the health service.”

Chair of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, said: “Obesity and physical inactivity are two of the most important public health challenges facing this country. Councils are playing a key role in helping people to eat better, by developing healthy catering policies.

“This has seen, for example, council-run leisure centres stock vending machines and cafes with healthy choices, and reduce the availability of high-sugar items such as sweets and fizzy drinks.”

ukactive  LGA  childhood obesity  nutrition  physical activity 
Sign up for FREE ezines
Related news

Company profile

Company profile: Legend by Xplor
We help a wide range of public sector leisure operators (including Leisure Trusts, Leisure Management Companies, Local Authorities and Universities), as well as private operators, to streamline complex operations, achieve growth and drive retention.
View full profile >
More company profiles

Featured Supplier

Elevate registrations soar: a record-breaking start to Elevate 2024
Elevate, the premier event in the physical activity, fitness, sports therapy and performance sector, is thrilled to announce that registrations for its 2024 conference are now live – and the response has been nothing short of exceptional.
View full details >
More featured suppliers

Property & Tenders

Location: Loughton, IG10
Company: Knight Frank
Location: Grantham, Leicestershire
Company: Belvoir Castle
Location: Verwood, Dorset
Company: AVISON YOUNG
Location: Hall Place House, Bexley, DA5 1PQ
Company: London Borough of Bexley
Location: 15 Concessions across the nation's forests
Company: Forestry England
More properties & tenders

Diary dates

11-14 Apr 2024
Exhibition Centre , Cologne, Germany
22-24 Apr 2024
Galgorm Resort, York
10-12 May 2024
China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China
23-24 May 2024
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais), Wiesbaden, Germany
More diary dates