Change4Life is the social marketing component of Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives, the cross-Government strategy for obesity
in England. Change4Life aims to change the behaviours (around food and activity) of families with children under 11 in order
to prevent excess weight gain. The cross-Government obesity group has invested £75 million of public money in Change4Life, funding a three-year programme of advertising, PR, direct and relationship marketing and digital activity.
Beyond the public funding component of the campaign, Change4Life also works in partnership, recognising that many organisations have both an interest in preventing obesity and influence with our target audiences in ways that we do not. Change4Life’s aim is not to create a top-down Government information campaign, but a societal movement, in which
everyone the target audience relies upon and trusts – be they government departments, healthcare professionals, teachers, charities, community groups, commercial brands, retailers or public-spirited members of the community – plays a part.
Early success
Since its launch in January 2009, Change4Life has been highly successful in galvanising cross-societal support for its aims.
Five government departments (DH, DCSF, DCMS, Defra and DfT) have run Change4Life activity. Over 120 national partners
have already signed up to support its objectives, as have over 22,000 Local Supporters. Healthcare professionals have
ordered over five million pieces of Change4Life support materials and schools have been distributing Change4Life’s ‘How are
the kids?’ questionnaires. The combined efforts of all these partners has resulted in Change4Life being already recognised by 81% of families, 370,000 of whom have signed up to the movement.
Since its launch in January 2009, Change4Life has been highly successful in galvanising cross-societal support for its aims.
Five government departments (DH, DCSF, DCMS, Defra and DfT) have run Change4Life activity. Over 120 national partners
have already signed up to support its objectives, as have over 22,000 Local Supporters. Healthcare professionals have
ordered over five million pieces of Change4Life support materials and schools have been distributing Change4Life’s ‘How are
the kids?’ questionnaires. The combined efforts of all these partners has resulted in Change4Life being already recognised by 81% of families, 370,000 of whom have signed up to the movement.
Register with Change4Life
We encourage healthcare professionals and anyone who can support the campaign at a local level to register as a Change4Life Local Supporter. Registered supporters will be sent regular email newsletters, which will alert them to the latest news about Change4Life. To register visit the Change 4 Life website and go to the special Partners and Supporters area.
Change4Life have developed a range of support materials, toolkits and reference materials to order or download to help
engage the public with the campaign.
Leaflets, posters, wallcharts, stickers and kids activity sheets can be ordered free from the Dept of Health Orderline.
Change4Life reference materials and toolkits can be downloaded from the Change 4 Life website.
New activity
The initial Change4Life campaign has been aimed at young families with the intention of rolling out further campaigns to
other target audiences. A Start4Life campaign launches in November, aimed at pregnant women and families with babies;
and an adult campaign is being developed targeting 45-65 year old men and women and will launch in February 2010. Keep
an eye on the Change4Life website for more information.
Visit Change4Life
