Childhood obesity could be remedied by halting some food promotions – including cut-price, multi-buy offers on unhealthy foods – claims Parliament’s Health Committee.
Food and drink manufacturers that do not meet the government’s 20% sugar reduction target in products by 2020 could be named and shamed, a leading figure at the Department of Health (DH) has suggested.
The decision to ban ‘junk food’ advertising across all children’s media, in a bid to tackle childhood obesity, has been welcomed by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
Retailers have stepped up their objections to the childhood obesity strategy, arguing that the report isn’t comprehensive enough and the government has failed to provide leadership.
Campaigners are calling for a sugar reduction programme modelled on the successful salt reduction work of the past few years, as part of the strategy to combat childhood obesity which the government is currently working on.
A slowdown in childhood obesity growth rates does not absolve the food and drink industry from blame, despite its efforts to reduce the fat, sugar and salt (FSS) content of its products, experts have said.
Fines should be imposed on food and drink manufacturers that fail to reformulate their products quickly enough to reduce high levels of fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), a childhood obesity campaigner has urged.
