1. www.inispho.org www.publichealth.ie ALL-IRELAND OBESITY OBSERVATORY: PROGRESS TO DATE Kevin P Balanda Informing efforts to tackle obesity

2. www.inispho.org www.publichealth.ie

3. What is an obesity observatory? “A collaboration that aims to better inform efforts to tackle obesity by providing a focus for the systematic and co-ordinated development, dissemination and application of relevant health intelligence”

4. www.inispho.org www.publichealth.ie Possible functions Source: English Obesity Strategy Secondary source of data and evidence Co-ordinating surveillance Data analysis and reporting Advice on evaluation of pilot interventions Gathering information on best practice Links with international bodies

5. www.inispho.org www.publichealth.ie Origins of all-Ireland obesity observatory INIsPHO (within IPH) and APHO Two research centres HRB Health & Diet Research Centre Centre of Excellence for Public Health (NI) English Obesity Observatory, SEPHO, APHO Tripartite partnership with IPH lead

6. www.inispho.org www.publichealth.ie Draft values Partnership: networks, collaboration, meaningful engagement, reciprocity Supporting existing groups: co-ordination, advocacy Valuing and adding value to existing work Independent and trusted voice

7. Proposed arrangements Bridge academic & service public health Principally a secondary source of data Analyse data & use it to support key public health functions Located within the IPH (INIsPHO) with an all-Ireland steering group Links to Britain (via APHO) & elsewhere

8. www.inispho.org www.publichealth.ie Feedback from the childhood obesity database symposium, Belfast Obesity observatory a welcome initiative Independent / trusted Broader determinants & inequalities Provide simple effective information Not a data repository (a secondary source); it should analyse & use information Logistics: Who’s the audience? Level of data access? Funding? Governance?

9. Discussion questions for this workshop (1) 1.What added value can the obesity observatory bring? 2.How can the obesity observatory help me (and my organisation)? 3.What can I (and my organisation) bring to the obesity observatory?

10. Discussion questions for this workshop (2) 4.How should the obesity observatory distribute its work between data collection, research and analysis, enhancing access to data, knowledge brokering and health information systems development? 5.How do I (and my organisation) want to be involved?

11. www.inispho.org www.publichealth.ie THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? Informing efforts to tackle obesity