Bracknell Forest Council has published its Annual Public Health Report, shining a spotlight on how businesses and commercial activities can shape health and wellbeing in the borough.
Titled ‘The business of health: how the commercial environment around us shapes lives in Bracknell Forest’, the report explores the growing impact of the commercial determinants of health. This includes the availability, pricing and promotion of products such as tobacco, alcohol, gambling and foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
The report highlights that while Bracknell Forest remains one of the best places in the UK to be born, grow up and grow old, health inequalities continue. People in more deprived areas can expect to live shorter lives and spend more years in poor health than those in the more affluent communities.
It also sets out the wider impact of preventable ill health, not only on individuals and families, but on the local economy through increased pressure of health and care services, reduced productivity and higher public sector costs.
The report calls for a collective local response, with stronger partnerships between council, businesses, community organisations and residents to create healthier environments that make healthier choices easier.
Cllr Megan Wright, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Health said:
“Bracknell Forest is a great place to live, but this report shows clearly that not everyone has the same opportunity to live a long and healthy life. The environment around us, including our high streets, workplaces and communities, play a huge role in shaping our health.
“This report is an important call to action, by working together with our partners, including local businesses, we can create conditions that support healthier choices, reduce inequalities and help everyone in our borough to thrive.”
Charlotte Pavitt, Director of Public Health for Bracknell Forest said:
“Health is shaped long before anyone needs medical care. It is influenced by the world around us, what is available, what is affordable and what is normalised in everyday life.
“This report focuses on the commercial environment because it is a powerful but often overlooked driver of health. By building health into our policies, places and partnerships, we have an opportunity to make good health easier for everyone and reduce avoidable inequalities across Bracknell Forest.”
Cllr Paul Bidwell, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Adults, Economy and Regeneration said:
“This report highlights that products such as alcohol, tobacco and foods high in fat, sugar and salt do more than affect individual health. They also place a significant economic and social burden on our communities, impacting services, community safety and local productivity.
“Businesses are key partners in shaping the environments that influence the choices we all make. By working together locally, we have a real opportunity to create conditions that support healthier choices while also enabling a strong and thriving local economy, benefiting residents, services and businesses.”
‘The business of health: how the commercial environment around us shapes lives in Bracknell Forest’ is available to download from the Public Health portal.
