Sunderland’s Health and Wellbeing Board has approved a new five-year strategy aimed at helping residents lead healthier lives.
The Sunderland Healthy Weight Strategy 2026–2031 has been developed in partnership with organisations including the NHS, education providers, voluntary and community groups, local workplaces, and the Sunderland Good Food Partnership. It outlines a coordinated plan to address one of the city’s key health challenges – unhealthy weight.
The strategy focuses on creating environments that help residents to live healthy and active lives.
It sets out a plan to work across all areas of the city to address the environmental, social and economic factors that influence health.
It will focus on four key priorities:
- Ensuring a Best Start in Life – improving early years nutrition, breastfeeding support, infant feeding, Family Hubs and school environments.
- Shaping a Healthier City Environment – using planning, licensing and transport to create healthier, safer, more active and better-connected neighbourhoods.
- Enabling Healthy Lives in Communities – boosting access to physical activity, community support and affordable nutritious food, alongside inclusive weight management services.
- System‑Wide Leadership – Collaboration and shared goals across partners.
One in three children start school living with overweight or obesity. By the time they’re in Year 6 this rises to one in two, with children in the most deprived communities twice as likely to be affected.
By shaping things like transport, housing and local food offers with health in mind, the strategy aims to reduce inequalities and improve long-term health outcomes.
Councillor Kelly Chequer, Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Safer Communities, said:
“The strategy recognises that achieving and sustaining healthy weight requires healthy places and reflects our commitment to working with partners across the city to ensure that the environment in Sunderland makes it as easy as possible for residents to live healthy lives.
“Embedding these principles will help us achieve our shared vision of improved health and reduced health inequalities for all.”
Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve the Sunderland Healthy Weight Strategy at a meeting on 26 March.
