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Tackle high risk health issues.
Current measures of success
Reduce obesity among primary school age children in year 6.
Increase the number of people who have given up smoking for 52 weeks.
Increase the number of children and adults regularly participating in physical activity.
Increase the effectiveness of the children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS).
Reduce the rate of hospital admissions per 100,000 for alcohol related harm.
Key facts
In Somerset 35% of adults are overweight and 14% are obese.
In 2006/07 9% of children in Reception Classes were obese and 15% of Year 6.
Cigarette smoking is a key preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, lung disease and some cancers. It kills 900 people a year in Somerset.
Sexually transmitted infections are continuing to rise in line with the rest of the UK, with specific concern for Chlamydia, particularly amongst young people. An estimated 10 – 13% of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are infected with Chlamydia.
In Somerset, 1 in 10 children and young people aged 5 to 15, are estimated to have a diagnosable mental health disorder that would benefit from specialist mental health services.
Approximately 12,000 people in Somerset aged 16 - 64 years could be dependent alcohol users. An estimated 15% of adults are regularly binge drinking.
What we will do
Increase the preventative and treatment opportunities to reduce obesity and overweight.
Support people to stop smoking, particularly pregnant women and manual workers.
We will provide opportunities to promote healthy lifestyles and services to support recovery from alcohol misuse.
Reduce teenage pregnancy and improve the sexual health of people in Somerset.
We will improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
What will we do first?
We will encourage adult, children and families to take part in physical activity and sport.
We will support people to develop the knowledge and skills to eat in a healthy and balanced way to reduce obesity.
We will reduce the number of young women who become pregnant in their teens.
We will inform people about issues to do with sexual health and support those who seek help.
We will develop a community based CAHMS service that can respond flexibly to the needs of children, young people and their families.
Back to Sustainable Community Strategy Aim 6 Being Healthy
