‘Go Golborne’: evaluation of ‘whole place’ community health lifestyle project

‘Go Golborne’: evaluation of ‘whole place’ community health lifestyle project

This is a collaboration with the Public Health Team of the London Triborough Authorities (Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and City of Westminster) on the design and delivery of a research evaluation of a new pilot project aimed at preventing obesity in childhood.

The project forms part of a wider programme in the three boroughs to halt and reverse levels of childhood obesity and improve associated outcomes for children and their families.

‘Go Golborne: eat happy, move and play’ was launched in May 2015. With many schools, preschools, youth clubs and parks, Golborne – one of London’s most deprived wards – offers potential to reach large numbers of children and young people and explore the environment’s role in supporting healthy behaviours.

This pilot takes a ‘whole place’ community approach through a local network of individuals and organisations. Using training opportunities, environmental improvements, consistent messages, community development and a series of social marketing campaigns, Go Golborne encourages children and their families to ‘eat happy, move and play’ by helping to create supportive environments that make healthier choices around eating and physical activity easier.  Their themed campaigns will focus on simple messages such as sugar swaps, snack checks, active travel, and reduced screen time.

CHSS is taking a ‘theory of change’ approach to the four-year evaluation, which will study the links between activities, outcomes and contexts of the initiative.  It will incorporate a detailed process evaluation, as well as evaluating outcomes on healthy weight, changes in behaviour, awareness of and attitudes to physical activity and healthy eating, and changes in home, school and community environments.

Evidence suggests that healthy lifestyles initiatives work best when targeted at a local level to respond to the unique needs of communities. Learning from other areas also highlights the importance of taking a ‘whole system’ approach where everyone who lives and works in a community plays their part to make it a healthier place for children to grow up.

This pilot, as part of a multi-agency approach to tackling child obesity, will test the feasibility of replicating the intervention in other areas.

The research team will:

• Assess impact and costs of the pilot at child and family, community and local authority level,
• Identify the least and most effective elements of the project – for who, in what contexts, and how.
• Inform the progress of the project over the three years to maximize the likelihood of greatest impact.
• Make recommendations on whether and how the intervention could be rolled out in or adapted for other wards.

Funder/funding stream

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Funding: £189, 653