Exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in England: a mixed methodology study
Objective To assess how lifestyle weight management programmes for children aged 4–16 years in England are commissioned and evaluated at the local level.Design This was a mixed-methods study comprising an online survey and semistructured telephone interviews.Setting An online survey was sent to all...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2019-12-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e025423.full |
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| author | Ruth Mears Deborah Sharp Anamica Patel Ruth Kipping Julian P H Shield |
| author_facet | Ruth Mears Deborah Sharp Anamica Patel Ruth Kipping Julian P H Shield |
| author_sort | Ruth Mears |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective To assess how lifestyle weight management programmes for children aged 4–16 years in England are commissioned and evaluated at the local level.Design This was a mixed-methods study comprising an online survey and semistructured telephone interviews.Setting An online survey was sent to all local authorities (LAs) in England regarding lifestyle weight management services commissioned for children aged 4–16 years. Online survey data were collected between February and May 2016 and based on services commissioned between April 2014 and March 2015. Semistructured telephone interviews with LA staff across England were conducted between April and June 2016.Participants Commissioners or service providers working within the public health department of LAs.Main outcome measures The online survey collected information on the evidence base, costs, reach, service usage and evaluation of child lifestyle weight management services. The telephone interviews explored the nature of child weight management contracts commissioned by LAs, the type of outcome data collected and whether these data were shared with other LAs or organisations, the challenges faced by these services, and the perceived ‘markers of success’ for a programme.Results The online survey showed that none of the participating LAs was aware of any peer-reviewed evidence supporting the effectiveness of their specific commissioned service. Despite this, the telephone interviews revealed that there was no national formal sharing of data to enable oversight of the effectiveness of commissioned services across LAs in England to help inform future commissioning decisions. Challenges with long-term data collection, service engagement, funding and the pressure to reduce the prevalence of obesity were frequently mentioned.Conclusions Robust, independent, cost-effectiveness analyses of obesity strategies are needed to determine the appropriate allocation of funding to lifestyle weight management treatment services, population-level preventative approaches or development of whole system approaches by an LA. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-adc15212d1bc4ad68cdd96d677e95c10 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
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| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-adc15212d1bc4ad68cdd96d677e95c102025-08-20T02:51:46ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-12-0191210.1136/bmjopen-2018-025423Exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in England: a mixed methodology studyRuth Mears0Deborah Sharp1Anamica Patel2Ruth Kipping3Julian P H Shield4Centre for Exercise Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKCentre for Academic Primary Care, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKObservatory Evidence Service, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UKCentre for Public Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKUniversity of Bristol, Bristol, UKObjective To assess how lifestyle weight management programmes for children aged 4–16 years in England are commissioned and evaluated at the local level.Design This was a mixed-methods study comprising an online survey and semistructured telephone interviews.Setting An online survey was sent to all local authorities (LAs) in England regarding lifestyle weight management services commissioned for children aged 4–16 years. Online survey data were collected between February and May 2016 and based on services commissioned between April 2014 and March 2015. Semistructured telephone interviews with LA staff across England were conducted between April and June 2016.Participants Commissioners or service providers working within the public health department of LAs.Main outcome measures The online survey collected information on the evidence base, costs, reach, service usage and evaluation of child lifestyle weight management services. The telephone interviews explored the nature of child weight management contracts commissioned by LAs, the type of outcome data collected and whether these data were shared with other LAs or organisations, the challenges faced by these services, and the perceived ‘markers of success’ for a programme.Results The online survey showed that none of the participating LAs was aware of any peer-reviewed evidence supporting the effectiveness of their specific commissioned service. Despite this, the telephone interviews revealed that there was no national formal sharing of data to enable oversight of the effectiveness of commissioned services across LAs in England to help inform future commissioning decisions. Challenges with long-term data collection, service engagement, funding and the pressure to reduce the prevalence of obesity were frequently mentioned.Conclusions Robust, independent, cost-effectiveness analyses of obesity strategies are needed to determine the appropriate allocation of funding to lifestyle weight management treatment services, population-level preventative approaches or development of whole system approaches by an LA.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e025423.full |
| spellingShingle | Ruth Mears Deborah Sharp Anamica Patel Ruth Kipping Julian P H Shield Exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in England: a mixed methodology study BMJ Open |
| title | Exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in England: a mixed methodology study |
| title_full | Exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in England: a mixed methodology study |
| title_fullStr | Exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in England: a mixed methodology study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in England: a mixed methodology study |
| title_short | Exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in England: a mixed methodology study |
| title_sort | exploring how lifestyle weight management programmes for children are commissioned and evaluated in england a mixed methodology study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e025423.full |
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