Government plans to halve child obesity by 2030
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- Published: Sunday, 24 June 2018 11:24
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The Government has unveiled plans to halve childhood obesity by 2030, with a string of new laws aimed at reducing sugar intake. This was a reversal of Theresa May’s much derided policy of two years ago, which was so watered down that Dr Sarah Wollaston MP described it as ‘hugely disappointing’ and putting the interests of the advertising industry ahead of those of children.
Ministers are considering a ban on the sale of energy drinks to children as part of a drive to cut their obesity rates. Among the proposals is a legal age limit on energy drinks, which ministers say are consumed by a quarter of six-to-nine year-olds despite being as “caffeine laden" as a cup of coffee.
The consultation will also look at making "calorie labelling" mandatory on all restaurant, café and takeaway menus "so parents can make an informed choice about what their families are eating". Retailers could meanwhile be forced to stop displaying unhealthy food at checkouts or including it in buy-one-get-one-free deals, to crackdown on their "pester-power".
This is a childhood obesity strategy, not an oral health strategy, which many argue the nation needs. Among those who criticised the 2016 startegy were the BDA: We need Ministers to take a lead, the FGDP(UK): The government has missed a golden opportunity to tackle the rise in avoidable dental extractions, the FDS RCS: We will continue to push new ministers hard on further action to protect the nation’s oral health and the BSPD: We are very disappointed that this strategy does not go further to reduce sugar content in food.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who was said to have been disappointed that the previous strategy was not tough enough, said the cost to the NHS of obesity related-illnesses was now "too great to ignore".
"Parents want what is best for their children, but keeping them healthy and active can be difficult," he added. "It is near impossible to shield children from exposure to unhealthy foods. Parents are asking for help – we know that over three quarters of parents find offers for sugary sweets and snacks at checkouts annoying. "It’s our job to give power to parents to make healthier choices, and to make their life easier in doing so."
The clampdown could also see fresh restrictions on TV and online advertising, wits plugging unhealthy products banned before 9pm. The Government say the limited exposure could "incentivise" companies to slash the the sugar and calories in the products they sell. "There is evidence that popular family television programmes can be saturated with adverts for products high in sugar, fat and salt, and there is a clear link between these adverts and children eating sugary and fatty foods," they say.
Elsewhere, ministers are also promoting a "new national ambition" for every primary school to adopt a daily ‘active mile’ initiative - backed up with £620,000 of funding for charity Living Street’s 'Walk to School' project. The Government is also pledging a further £1m boost to fund 25,000 training places on the Department for Transport’s Bikeability cycling training programme.
Public Health Minister Steve Brine said: "One in three children are now overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school. Dangerous overconsumption, combined with reduced activity, is having a catastrophic effect on our children’s health, limiting their potential and putting them at risk of a shorter life. We all have a responsibility to act before we lose a generation of young people to this entirely avoidable epidemic."
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