Britain bans junk food ads on daytime TV and online to curb child obesity

New rules and regulations came into effect in Britain on Monday by imposing a ban on daytime TV and online advertisements supporting junk foods, in what the government calls a “world-leading action” to tackle childhood obesity.

Change the current trend 

The ban focuses ads on processed and fast food that usually have higher concentration of palm oil, fat, salt, and sugar. It is expected to remove at least 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year, according to the health ministry.

The new rules, which will come into force at the end of next year, are designed to change the current trend where one in three children leave primary school overweight or obese, but they prompted an angry reaction from some media groups.

Fast food is seen as the main reason behind the obesity or excess fat in children that causes health problems.  

Apply to all businesses with 250 or more employees

The government said the restrictions would apply to all businesses with 250 or more employees that make or sell the products, helping to protect smaller companies that can only afford to advertise online.

Impacting ads airing before the 9:00pm watershed and anytime online, it will reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000 and deliver around £2 billion ($2.7 bln) in health benefits, the ministry added.

The implementation follows various other steps, including an extended sugar tax on pre-packaged items like milkshakes, ready to go coffees and tetra pack milk bottles.  

Stop fast food outside schools

Local authorities have also been given the power to stop fast food shops setting up outside schools.

The government also argues that the advertising promotes these eating habits and makes them look tempting which influences the child to prefer those instead of a proper diet increasing risk of obesity among them.  

It notes 22 percent of children starting primary schooling in England — typically aged around five — are overweight or obese, rising to more than a third by the time they progress to secondary schools aged 11.

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“By restricting adverts for junk food before 9pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods,” health minister Ashley Dalton said in a statement.

He added the move was part of a strategy to make the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) focus on preventing as well as treating sickness, “so people can lead healthier lives”.

Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said it was the most awaited step for the betterment of the children and protecting them from unhealthy food and drinking habits.  

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The charity Diabetes UK also welcomed the ads ban, with its chief executive, Colette Marshall, noting that type 2 diabetes is on the rise in young people.

“Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and the condition can lead to more severe consequences in young people — leaving them at risk of serious complications like kidney failure and heart disease,” she added.