Oxfordshire health chiefs have announced a drive to cut obesity and diabetes and reduce the number of smokers.

NHS managers have drawn up a five-year strategy, with the aim of making major improvements in public health by 2013.

Oxfordshire NHS Primary Care Trust is responsible for spending £750m every year to improve the quality of life for the county's 630,000 residents.

The strategy will encourage people to choose healthier lifestyles through a mixture of prevention schemes and a support network of trainers and therapists. Better co-operation between the NHS and public sector bodies is promised.

But the strategy also includes specific pledges, such as reducing obesity and diabetes - thought to be two of the most serious threats facing public health in the next decade.

PCT chief executive Andrea Young said: "This is a really important opportunity for the PCT to start to plan to look ahead for the population of Oxfordshire.

"We are using the advantage we have of a strong financial position to use some of our money wisely.

"We have looked at the area and asked what Oxfordshire really needs if we are going to deliver our target for healthier people and better services. This strategy will make it very clear what the public can expect from us.

"It is also a bit of a rallying call to other public sector bodies in particular, to let them know that we need to work together."

Although PCT board members have given managers and staff the go-ahead to launch the five-year strategy, they are aware that many of the problems will be on-going issues beyond 2013.

Ms Young said: "We haven't chosen easy things to focus on and we haven't shied away from some of the most challenging problems facing our communities.

"But the advantage of having our strategy is that we cannot ignore these things now. We have to start tackling them in partnership with other agencies.

"We're being quite bold in the way we want to improve the health of the people of Oxfordshire."

To tackle obesity in Oxfordshire, NHS managers have drawn up plans for more weight management for patients, more exercise referrals and nutritional support - from an army of health trainers.

Zoe Millington already has a team of five health trainers in Oxford and under the PCT's five-year strategy, more will be recruited.

She said: "The advantage with health trainers is that they can really fit in with a person's life, meeting them at a time and place to suit them, which can make it less intimidating.

"Because we're from the local community, we understand the challenges faced by our clients, and can help them find solutions relevant to them."