Crisp, choc and fizzy drink ads to be banned in obesity battle

By Vincent Moss

May 16, 2004

ADVERTS for junk food will be banned from children's television as part of the Government's war on Britain's obesity "epidemic".

MPs will demand the crackdown on ads promoting crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks in a hard-hitting report this month.

The powerful Commons Health Select Committee will call for the clampdown after conducting a marathon probe into obesity.

It will be a key recommendation in their report to be published on May 27, according to extracts leaked to the Sunday Mirror.

Health Secretary John Reid is among top Cabinet figures backing the move to halt adverts such as those Gary Lineker appears in for Walkers crisps .

He will face a battle with Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell who is more sceptical about taking on corporate giants and forcing a ban.

But a senior ministerial source said: "We have to do something about the epidemic of obesity in this country.

"Legislation may be a step too far. But we are determined to find ways of getting junk food adverts banished from children's TV.

"It may be that we have to work with the industry to find the best way of doing that."

The Commons Health Committee will also reveal that the cost of obesity in Britain is almost £5billion a year - far higher than official estimates of about £3.5billion.

It will make up to 100 recommendations to help improve the public's health and will also criticise the Government for failing to make the war on obesity a higher priority.

But the all-party group will also warn that people have a responsibility to do more to help themselves stay healthy and avoid illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.

Schools will be urged to replace fizzy drinks and chocolates in their vending machines with fruit and mineral water. Retailers will also be told to make sure foods are better labelled so consumers can understand the levels of fat, salt and sugar content.

Medical experts fear more than one in three adults will be obese by 2020, compared with 20 percent now. About three-quarters of men and two thirds of women are either overweight or obese.

A source close to the committee - headed by Labour MP David Hinchcliffe - said: "People who are obese are cutting up to 10 years off their life.

"The Government should be doing more to encourage people to eat more healthily and take more exercise. But we live in a free society and individuals have to take more responsibility for the way they live.'

Health Secretary Dr Reid is expected to welcome most of the committee's findings and outline a blueprint for possible legislation this summer.

Latest research has revealed that children are bombarded with more than 1,000 adverts for junk food every day. Up to 95 per cent of the ads are for products high in fat, sugar and salt.

Last year McDonald's spent £32.5million on television adverts, while Coca-Cola spent £13 million and Pringles £7million.

Original URL: http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/