Bexley is facing a significant public health challenge with rising rates of obesity among both adults and children, a recent council meeting revealed.
Data presented to the Adult Social Care & Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, June 25, 2026, showed that one in four adults and one in five reception-aged children in the borough are living with obesity. These figures are projected to increase, with one in three children in Year 6 already affected.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is notably higher in the most deprived areas of Bexley. Key challenges contributing to these rates include limited access to supermarkets in some areas, a high density of fast-food restaurants, and food insecurity, particularly in the south of the borough. Low physical activity rates and a lack of specific weight management services for secondary school-aged children were also highlighted.
Despite these challenges, Bexley Council is implementing various strategies. These include the Cook and Eat
programme, a healthier catering commitment initiative working with local businesses, and physical activity programmes in parks and schools. The Best Start Family Hubs
are being used to train staff to discuss healthy lifestyles and signpost residents to support.
The Cook and Eat
programme, also referred to as the Eatwell Bexley Cookery Club,
has seen high engagement in its first year, with an 89% completion rate. To further increase participation, strategies include strengthening targeted outreach to under-represented groups, such as men, by running men-only cookery clubs, and exploring evening sessions for working participants. The Healthier Catering Commitment (HCC) advisor has been recruited to reinvigorate the Healthier Catering Commitment (HCC) in Bexley,
which supports food businesses to offer healthier options. Strategies to boost the HCC include encouraging fruit and vegetable stalls.
Councillor Cafer Munur raised concerns about the low engagement with adult weight management services and the sustainability of weight loss. He also stressed the crucial link between mental health and obesity, questioning if support adequately addresses chronic stress and advocating for a whole council approach
to the Bexley 2050 vision, particularly concerning planning decisions that may contradict public health goals.
Councillor Peter Craske noted the lifelong nature of obesity and questioned if Bexley's demographic, where people tend to settle long-term, contributes to this. He also advocated for sustained, lower-level funding for programmes.
Councillor Larry Ferguson inquired about the reasons for Richmond upon Thames being the most active borough and what lessons could be learned, also exploring the link between deprivation and obesity.
Several councillors raised points about the effectiveness of school programmes, including active travel plans and swimming lessons, with concerns about limited time and capacity. The importance of infant feeding and breastfeeding rates was also discussed, alongside challenges faced by mothers in Bexley due to the lack of an acute trust within the borough.
Bexley Council is collaborating with GPs to encourage conversations about physical activity and referrals to local services. A GP premium payment system, funded by the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), is in place. This system typically focuses on clinical outcomes such as hypertension, diabetes, and HbA1c. For the past two years, weight management has been incorporated into these public health interventions. GPs are provided with information on referral pathways, including voluntary sector services and public health commissioned activities. The outcome measures for GP-led obesity interventions are primarily clinical, and these are monitored through standard NHS processes.
Councillor Steven Hall highlighted the importance of the ticking time bomb
nature of obesity for future adult social care budgets and overall public health. Councillor Sandra Cerisola questioned the effectiveness of school superzones
and practical measures to improve the food environment around schools.
Councillor Christine Catterall raised concerns about the low engagement with the primary school weight management service and the absence of a tier 2 service for secondary school children, questioning the urgency of filling this gap.
Read the full Public reports pack for the Adult Social Care & Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on June 25, 2026: Public reports pack
View the Agenda frontsheet for the meeting: Agenda frontsheet
