Campaign overview and policy background

Change4Life's aim is to inspire a broad coalition of people, including the NHS, local authorities, businesses, charities, schools, families, community leaders - in fact anyone working with families or individuals - to all play a part in improving the nation's health and well-being by encouraging everyone to eat well, move more and live longer.

Launched in 2009, Change4Life was aimed at parents with children. The movement now encompasses adults, and has a sister brand, Start4Life, which introduces healthy habits right from birth. Change4Life uses cartoon imagery and informal, non-judgmental language to suggest easy diet and exercise swaps. It also offers support so that our audience is more likely to make the changes they need to a more healthy lifestyle.

In addition to talking to people directly through TV advertising and online, a key part of Change4Life is its partnership with others to deliver its message. While Change4Life was government instigated it has never been a government owned brand. Instead, we've allowed everyone with an interest in improving health to partner with us in a wider social movement for health. To that end a large set of Change4Life resources and branding is available for partners and supporters to use free of charge to support their health and well-being work.

More about the Department of Health's obesity policy

Read the Change4Life three-year marketing strategy

Bulk orders of some resources are available from the DH Orderline - just quote the smart number reference.

Note: A PDF Reader is required to read some documents on this page.

Sort Title Descending Sort Title Ascending Sort Document details Descending Sort Document details Ascending Sort Description Descending Sort Description Ascending Sort Smart number Descending Sort Smart number Ascending Sort Last amended Descending Sort Last amended Ascending
Thumbnail for Help stop childhood obesity Help stop childhood obesity Booklet (14pp) (PDF, 629KB)
 Summarises research and policy background to Change4Life (published by NHS). C4L007 07-10-11
Thumbnail for Adult audience behaviours Adult audience behaviours Information (28pp) (PDF, 656KB)
 Describes the 6 adult behaviours for partners and local supporters to include in their own communications. 07-10-11
Thumbnail for Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: Consumer insight summary Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: Consumer insight summary Information (80pp) (PDF, 2.29MB)
 Summarises results of research into families’ attitudes and behaviours relating to diet and activity. Published in 2008. 07-10-11
Thumbnail for Change4Life marketing strategy Change4Life marketing strategy Information (65pp) (PDF, 1.51MB)
 Describes how social marketing and communications will be used to tackle the rise in childhood obesity, supporting the Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives strategy. Published April 2009. 07-10-11
Thumbnail for Change4Life and social marketing Change4Life and social marketing Information (216pp) (PDF, 4.89MB)
 A hands-on guide to planning, developing and evaluating a Change4life social marketing project. 20-10-11