A challenge has been set to find healthier choices on the high street.

Healthy London Partnership and Haringey Council are looking for new ideas to improve the eating habits of children and young people.

They are working together on a competition for West Green Road and Tottenham High Road that could see the winner get £2,000 of funding and 8 weeks of expert support early next year.

The aim of the Challenge Prize is to encourage businesses such as chicken shops and kebab restaurants to be part of the solution to the obesity problem.

The deadline for submitting ideas is Monday November 27 at noon.

Nil Guzelgun is a researcher and project co-ordinator at Innovation Unit which is working with Healthy London Partnership and Haringey Council on the Challenge.

Ms Guzelgun, said: “It’s a competition of ideas, essentially, and we are looking for the best idea that can help tackle the issue of making it easier for children and young people to make healthy choices on the high street.

“Part of this Challenge was a healthier eating food week where we asked local businesses on West Green Road and the High Road to think about what they could do differently to make healthier options for children and young people.

“There were ten different offers from ten different organisations on West Green Road and the High Road that had healthier options like juices instead of fizzy drinks or pancakes that didn’t use sugar but banana.

“People realised there was something they could do differently that was not that difficult.

“The Challenge is open to the general public because we believe that there might be other ideas that have nothing to do with food.

“They could be about awareness raising; they could be campaigns; they could be about physical activity; and, they could come from different organisations or groups like parents or fitness trainers or community organisations who are really passionate about these kinds of topics.”

A brainstorming workshop was held at the Tottenham Green Leisure Centre on Wednesday November 15.

Ms Guzelgun, added: “The importance of this challenge prize is they apply the idea on West Green Road and the High Road.

“People don’t have to be residents of those areas, but their idea has to be implemented on those two roads.

“The reason why we have come up with this Challenge Prize is because childhood obesity is highest in London, and we know that in areas where there is high deprivation childhood obesity tends to be higher.

“This is why specifically Tottenham was chosen.

“We know that childhood obesity is quite high in this area.

“People have told us that when they go to a supermarket the things which would be at a discounted price are actually unhealthy, and there’s rarely healthier options at a reduced price.

“When they eat out, healthier options – people argued – were much more expensive.

“When they don’t have a lot of money they will go for the cheaper option which may be unhealthy foods.”

Healthy London Partnership formed in 2015.

It works across health and social care, and with the Greater London Authority, Public Health England, NHS England, London’s councils, clinical commissioning groups and Health Education England.

For further information visit www.innovationunit.org/wp-content/uploads/PDF-challenge-document-131117_Haringey.pdf or www.innovationunit.org/thoughts/healthy-high-streets-challenge/.

To submit ideas go to http://vickip.typeform.com/to/qaH6oa.