All community programmes to prevent obesity, increase activity levels and improve diet (and reduce energy intake) should address the concerns of local people. Concerns might include:

• the availability of services and the cost of changing behaviour
• the expectation that healthier foods do not taste as good
• dangers associated with walking and cycling (see also general principles when setting up and managing cross sector walking and cycling programmes in the walking and cycling pathway).
• confusion over mixed messages in the media about weight, diet and activity.

Community-based interventions should include awareness-raising promotional activities, but these should be part of a longer-term, multicomponent intervention rather than one-off activities.

Address the concerns of local people from the outset in all community programmes to prevent obesity, increase activity levels and improve diet (including reducing energy intake).

Work with shops, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes and voluntary community services to promote healthy eating choices that are consistent with existing good practice guidance and to provide supporting information. See identifying local issues and actions in this pathway.

Support and promote community schemes and facilities that improve access to physical activity, such as walking or cycling routes, combined with tailored information, based on an audit of local needs.

Support and promote behavioural change programmes along with tailored advice to help people who are motivated to change become more active, for example by walking or cycling instead of driving or taking the bus. See also encouraging people to be physically active in the physical activity pathway and NICE's pathway onbehaviour change.

Offer ongoing support from an appropriately trained health professional to families of children and young people identified as being at high risk of obesity – such as children with at least one obese parent. Consider individual as well as family-based interventions , depending on the age and maturity of the child.

Promoting healthy eating

• Local authorities, through local partnerships, should encourage all local shops, supermarkets and caterers to promote healthy food and drink, for example by signs, posters, pricing and positioning of products, in line with existing guidance and (in England) with the local obesity strategy.​

• See also involving local businesses and social enterprises in this pathway.