Takeaways could be banned near schools to cut obesity rates
TOUGH planning controls could be brought in to stop more takeaways opening in the hope of slashing obesity rates.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council's health overview and scrutiny committee has called for an inquiry into the soaring numbers of hot food outlets in the city.
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The panel wants to set limits on the number of takeaways allowed within a certain area, the distance they should be from schools and the type of food they can offer.
Members also want to carry out a health impact assessment to show the effect that the availability of fast food has on an area's population.
The move comes after Waltham Forest Council, in London, announced a raft of new planning guidelines to stop burger bars and chip shops opening near schools.
More than a fifth of Stoke-on-Trent's 186,000 adults are currently obese, while fewer than 11,000 do even 30 minutes of exercise a week.
The city's director of public health, Dr Giri Rajaratnam, said in a recent report that residents' lifestyles are directly linked to life expectancy rates.
He said: "The lifestyles people lead directly influence the probability of ill health.
"Deprived communities, as a consequence of unhealthy lifestyles, are at higher risk of ill health and death."
Stoke-on-Trent currently has 226 hot food takeaways, along with 131 cafés and snack bars, which include big-name fast food chain outlets.
Health overview and scrutiny committee chairman councillor Alby Walker said he has seen first-hand the impact that too many takeaways can have on an area.
He said: "We have a real problem in Meir, where whenever a shop closes they seem to get a new takeaway in its place.
"Now we are in the position where we have got about 30 fast food outlets within a one-mile radius.
"We are now asking the council to let us set up a special task group to carry out a health impact assessment study."
The city council's portfolio holder for regeneration and economic development, councillor Adrian Knapper, said the authority is looking at ways to cut the number of new takeaways opening in the city.
He said: "We are aware of concern about the numbers of takeaways and when planning policies are reviewed, the question of the need for control on numbers will be one of the issues considered."
A Stoke-on-Trent PCT spokesman said that the health trust is already working closely with the city council to tackle obesity.
She said: "We have three different programmes focusing on healthy eating, physical exercise and weight management.
"Part of the strategy involves intervention, and if someone is looking to put in a planning application for another take-away in an area then we will look at whether there will be a health impact."
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Remember you need to be registered to use the site and logged in to comment. Will this plan make a difference to the obesity rates?
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by David, Stoke
Friday, December 12 2008, 1:51PM
“"Takeaways could be banned near schools to cut obesity rates"
Does this mean that the Council think that it's only during school time that kids eat fattty food?
No, a kids going to eat what it's used to. It all starts and ends on the home. You'd have to ban takeaways within a 20 min walk of any houses to have any effect; and then the effect would simply be to get people out driving.
I have the ideal planning condition for the problem. Ban deliveries and instead of having tiles, carpets, lino in front of the counters, make the takeaway places fit treadmills and make the chunky devils jog whilst waiting for their curry, pizza, whatever...
I bet that would cut consumption of fatty foods!”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Friday, December 12 2008, 8:41AM
“Macca... I dont think most of the people of Stoke are on benefits and I take offence in anyone saying that.You show me figers to prove it, otherwise go back to eating your chips.”
by macca, staffordshire
Friday, December 12 2008, 7:10AM
“DEBBIE OMG!!
The links is as follows
1. Kids in stoke are overweight
2. Most people are in stoke on trent are on benefits
3. put 1 and 2 together and how can people in stoke on trent even afford take away foor if they are on benefit.
If you would like me to explain anything else just let me know.”
by lee, weston coyney
Friday, December 12 2008, 1:24AM
“I cant remember the last time i saw a fat kid?
Although there are a couple of regulars knocking about, proper little tubbies!
Regardless if kids are getting more chubby, i personally are sick to the back teeth of seeing fast food shops opening up everywhere,
What we need is more tradition, wouldent it be awsom if someone opened a traditional "fish n chip" shop up!,(mega oldie late 18th century style)
Served in news paper, and fried in real fat!
God,!, todays chubbie cherub dosent knowwhat theyre missing!!”
by Mark, Porthill
Thursday, December 11 2008, 9:41PM
“Why not have a 'chip tax'? Make junkfood £5 a throw, just like fags? See how many kids will be coerced into eating healthier options then! All that additional revenue can then go towards tackling obesity. Sick of hearing parents saying their kids are 'Just big boned!'”
by Julie, Trentham
Thursday, December 11 2008, 8:15PM
“Surely the answer is to stop children going off school premises during school hours. I don't see why this is allowed anyway.”
by debbie, Chell Heath
Thursday, December 11 2008, 8:08PM
“Macca, staffordshire.What the hell has being on Benefits got to do with obesity ???????”
by Gareth Edwards, Stoke on Trent
Thursday, December 11 2008, 6:36PM
“I am furious!
It is not the job of the council to spend our tax money on interfering with our lifestyle choices.
How many thousands of pounds and wasted man-hours did it take the committee to work out that if people eat lots of fast food they will become obese.
We all knew that already but there's the matter of personal choice. I'm an adult and can make my own decisions, I do not want the council trying to enforce decisions on me or reduce the choices available to me.
SOT Council, please stick to emptying my bins and keep your interfering busybody noses out of my personal lifestyle choices.”
by john, shelton
Thursday, December 11 2008, 5:00PM
“Its the council that has created this problem in the first place by allowing the city to become awash with takeouts up down the high streets with it desire for business rates at any cost even when local people protest there views have been ignored and is all so one of the reason the streets as strewn with litter.”
by T COPE, TUNSTALL
Thursday, December 11 2008, 4:35PM
“Does anybody else see the link between this Governments selling off of playing fields, and ban on competatve sports, and obesity.
Children need exercise at school, because when they get home its just games machines and TV.
This problem will only increase until common sense arrives.”