Obesity threat calls for robust government action
25 August 2006
On the day that the government published its predictions of spiralling obesity rates, the National Heart Forum (NHF) called on the government to show the same commitment to curbing the obesity epidemic as it has towards tackling smoking.
Jane Landon, deputy chief executive of the NHF said: "These latest estimates are chilling reading. Overweight and obesity in childhood and adult life causes personal misery and costs the NHS billions of pounds in treating diabetes, coronary heart disease, cancer and many other avoidable conditions.
"This government already has to its credit important public health measures including a ban on cigarette advertising and on smoking in public places. It has also demonstrated it is serious about overhauling food in schools. Ministers now recognise there is a clear case for restricting junk food advertising to tackle obesity.
"The government has both the powers and the mandate to make a meaningful difference to an increasingly unhealthy food culture; not just to promote healthy individual choices, but also to intervene where business actions such as junk food marketing create an unhealthy environment and place large, avoidable costs on the public purse.
"By introducing restrictions on TV advertising for junk food before 9pm, ministers will be taking a very significant step towards protecting children's health, and they will have the support of hundreds of parents, health professionals and consumer organisations who have written to Ofcom calling for a watershed ban in response to the regulator's consultation on food advertising."
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Notes to editors
1. The National Heart Forum (NHF) is an alliance of 50 national organisations working to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, the UK's biggest single - yet largely preventable - cause of death and disease. You can visit our website at www.heartforum.org.uk
2. In its consultation on television food advertising to children, Ofcom presents options for volume and timing restrictions on food and drink advertising, but excludes the option of a 9pm watershed for advertisements for food high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) from the consultation arguing that this would impose a disproportionate impact upon broadcasters. By their own calculations, Ofcom say that a 9pm watershed would remove 82% of HFSS advertising impacts on all children, whereas options offered in the consultation would reduce impacts by 39% or less.
3. A British Heart Foundation (BHF) online survey conducted in May found that 68% of parents would like to see a pre-watershed ban on junk food advertising, while just 7% are against a pre-watershed ban. A total of 75% of parents believe television junk food advertising influences their children's food choices. The British Heart Foundation commissioned an online survey of 850 parents' between the ages of 16 and 64, conducted in May 2006. See www.bhf.org.uk for details.
4. The figures are from the Department of Health's 2006 Health Survey for England.
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