Why A Whole Systems Approach

• Obesity is complex - and there are many different causes, many of which are linked to wider community, social or political factors rather than individual factors.  

• Addressing obesity across the population requires us to  understand the wider causes of obesity.

• A Whole Systems Approach helps us achieve a shared understand of the causes of obesity and recognise where we should intervene for greatest impact that will shift the system to a healthier state.

• This requires us to think and act differently and to work collectively for positive change. 

• We can use the image below, to demonstrate that actions, that have an effect on child healthy weight, operate at 4 different levels.  

Identifying and understanding the interconnections between existing programmes (actions) will enable us to help change the entire system.  

Creating greater consistency and cohesion in these actions will help children as they grow and develop throughout their lives.

It is important that we all work collectively to reshape what children and young people eat and drink and the activities they take part in.

Click on the link below to watch our presentation (in part 3) at a national Whole Systems Appraoch to Diet and Helathy Weight event, held in Glasow on 8th June 2023.   Here we shared our experience of implementing and evaluating our work in Dundee, alongside friends from Borders and Aberdeenshire.