The Obesity Health Alliance is a coalition of health organisations including the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and the Royal College of Physicians.
The group says ‘swift measures’ are needed to address the obesity crisis if the Government wants to halve childhood obesity by 2030, narrow the hap in healthy life expectancy and tackle the NHS backlog.
The warning comes after persistent rumours that the Prime Minister and his new policy chief, Andrew Griffith MP, are being heavily lobbied by the advertising industry and by multinational food companies to delay and water down incoming new laws to restrict multi-buy promotions on unhealthy food in shops, and a 9pm watershed on TV and total ban online on junk food adverts.
Caroline Cerny, alliance lead at the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “In 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised the nation he would make healthier choices easier for everyone. Rowing back on these promises now would leave him with the legacy as the leader who cancelled laws which would prevent thousands of children from developing obesity.”
A new poll has revealed people’s views on junk food marketing tactics:
- 74% of people support stopping junk food adverts being shown on TV before 9pm
- 74% of people support stopping junk food adverts being shown online
- 72% want to see restrictions on shops promoting unhealthy foods in prominent areas such as at checkouts and in shop entrances
- 57% welcome restrictions on multi-buy promotional offers (e.g., buy-one-get-one free) on unhealthy foods in shops
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation, added: “Addressing the UK’s stubbornly high obesity rates is going to take far, far more than personal willpower alone. It is simply impossible to expect that we can level up life expectancies across the UK’s poorest communities without full implementation of the landmark obesity strategy.”