The Paris Nutrition Sant\u00e9 (PNS) programme aims to alter the environments in which children\u2019s eating and activity habits are formed, in both family and educational settings, by ensuring a coherent approach to addressing child overweight and obesity between city departments. It builds awareness of balanced diets among city institutions that provide food services, helps professionals to develop projects, tools and events aimed at young people with overweight status, and conducts studies of nutrition and health status at the household level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The programme was put in place in 2009 in three pilot arrondissements (districts) with high rates of food insecurity (the 13th, 15th, and 19th). It was initially aimed at parents, teachers, and childcare professions, but was later re-positioned towards institutional actors. In 2013 it was rolled out in three more arrondissements (the 10th, 18th, and 20th).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The programme was deemed necessary because of the high rate of children with overweight status across Paris. In 2009 the regional health observatory found that almost one in six children (15.6%) aged 8-9 had overweight status. Paris has been a signatory of the France\u2019s Programme National Nutrition Sant\u00e9 (PNNS) since 2004. PNS signalled the city\u2019s renewed engagement with the recommendations of the PNNS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The programme was initiated by the deputy mayor responsible for public health and relations with the Paris hospital system, known as Assistance publique \u2013 H\u00f4pitaux de Paris. It is led by the city\u2019s Directorate for Social Action, Childhood and Health (DASES), in partnership with the Caisses des Ecoles (public institutions responsible for encouraging school attendance) and the town halls of participating arrondissements. The project is overseen by a city-wide coordinator, as well as a project manager in each arrondissement. Other partners participate in specific projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Programme results cannot be quantified in terms of numbers of children who are no longer experience overweight or obesity as a result. Rather, its results are in behaviour change on the part of children and parents, which is hard to measure. Nonetheless, the number of children participating in activities has increased steadily, with weight loss or stabilisation of participating children and increased confidence on the part of parents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"