Trim Tots: fun family workshops enabling healthier lifestyle choices

Problem

Childhood obesity remains a major public health challenge in the UK, with evidence showing that excess weight is often established before children reach school age. National guidance emphasises that prevention should start early and interventions should be sustained over time, combining diet, physical activity and behaviour change. But in many communities, families can face additional barriers to healthy routines - including limited access to affordable food and fewer green spaces for physical activity. Many interventions have been trialled in the past but have been unable to engage families consistently or translate research into practical solutions that work on the ground. 

This led Dr. Julie Lanagan, a Principal Research Fellow at UCL’s Institute of Child Health, to lead the collaborative development of a new approach to inspire and empower families to make healthier choices. 

Solution

Dr. Lanigan worked with researchers at the UCL Great Ormond Street Hospital Institute of Child Health, community practitioners and volunteer families to develop ‘Planet Munch’, a fun programme of puppetry, music and movement, storytelling, art workshops and hands-on food preparation which encourages both children and parents to learn together in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. 

Families take part in weekly sessions over six months, building their knowledge and skills around food, physical activity and everyday routines. Behaviour change is encouraged using tried and tested methods such as setting goals that are sustainable, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-related (SMART). Children take part in fun activities with their parents including art workshops, music and movement and games, while parents learn about food labelling, portion sizes and healthier cooking methods.

As Dr. Lanigan explains, the secret of success lies in really getting to know the families: “We work with families over a long time to really get to know them, model healthy eating, build on what they’re already doing, and help them find realistic pathways within their own context. Trim Tots offers a bit of a haven: families come together for music and movement, try new foods, and connect with their community. Peer modelling is really important. Children copy what other children do, and parents learn from one another as well.” 

Proven positive impacts

Planet Munch was evaluated in two randomised controlled trials, the ‘gold-standard’ research design, and shown to be effective at reducing risk of excess weight gain and associated adverse health effects in preschool children. Following successful trials, Trim Tots worked with Camden Council and Edith Neville Primary School to bring Planet Munch into a community setting. Parents reported increased confidence in:

• Understanding age-appropriate portion sizes
• Reading and interpreting food labels
• Introducing greater variety into children’s diets. 

Reflecting on the programme’s success, Dr. Lanigan said: “The evidence backed approach gives us credibility. We’ve shown that we can deliver a complex programme, and that’s important because the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that prevention of childhood obesity should include complex interventions that are both feasible, acceptable and engaging for parents and children, and sustainable, include follow up and able to show lasting effects beyond the intervention period.”

How UCL Ventures helped

UCL Ventures’ specialist Social Ventures team played a key role in connecting Trim Tots CIC to sources of development funding from the UCL Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Fund and introduced the social venture to local authorities’ public health teams looking to commission the programme. This support enabled the roll out of the Planet Munch Nutrition Digital Learning Platform, scaling from research into community delivery, forged partnerships with Camden Council and Edith Neville Primary School and generated insights into how evidence-based interventions can operate successfully in non-controlled environments. 

“We were introduced to Camden Council’s Public Health team. The Camden commissioners contributed funding towards the programme, and provided staff who worked alongside us to deliver the programme. That was the beginning of our relationship,” Amy Hagerman, Lead at the Family Centre, Edith Neville Primary School, said.

“What stood out was the evidence-based approach. We’re always looking for programmes where we can clearly say: this works, families will engage, and it’s worth using the space and resources we have. What we’ve seen here is strong engagement, families staying involved, and children being introduced to new foods in a positive way.” 

Outcome

Parents from Edith Neville Primary School highlighted how this practical, interactive approach translated into everyday life, describing how they felt more confident making day-to-day, from shopping choices to mealtime routines. 

“As a mum, I didn’t realise I was making some mistakes, especially when life is busy. They taught us about portion sizes: what to give when you’re busy and how portions change as children grow.” Tahmina, parent of a nursery-age child 

"One of the biggest positives for me was during the healthy snack time. My son tried foods I don’t think he would normally attempt at home, and because he had that experience there, he’s now more open to eating those same foods at home. That alone made a huge difference.” Farhana, parent to nursery-age child 

Where is Trim Tots now?

Following the Camden pilot, Trim Tots is now:

• Building partnerships with additional schools and early-years providers
• Expanding delivery through the Planet Munch Digital Learning Platform
• Engaging with commissioners and policymakers to support wider adoption.