Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WE’VE AD IT WITH JUNK FOOD ON TV
76% of Brits want ban on early commercials
THREE quarters of us want a ban on junk food adverts aimed at children before the 9pm watershed, a survey found.
The exclusive Comres/mirror poll revealed 76% would like to see the commercials axed until 9pm in a bid to tackle the growing obesity crisis.
Campaigners last night welcomed the result and said it should convince ministers they have nothing to fear from taking on the food industry.
TV chef Jamie Oliver, who has led calls for a ban through his #Adenough campaign, said: “It’s great to see the support of the British public when it comes to the logical idea of simply extending the current 6pm junk food advertising ban to 9pm.
“Profits shouldn’t come before our kids’ health and our kids shouldn’t be targeted relentless with unhealthy products, especially when we know its crippling effect on our NHS.
“If a child watches a series of Britain’s Got Talent or X Factor, they will also watch the equivalent of an entire junk food movie.
“When this generation of children is expected to live a shorter life than their parents due to dietrelated disease, it’s simply not right.” National Obesity Forum chairman Tam Fry was “delighted” with the results of the survey. Urging ministers to reject claims of “nanny state” interference and get on with a ban, he said: “Don’t be afraid, the public is in your side.
“These results show the public is finally cottoning on to the fact that junk food, particularly for children, is something to be avoided.”
Public clamour for tougher rules on junk food advertising has been mounting as the bulging waistlines of our children expand.
Almost 60% more kids in their last year of primary school are classified as severely obese than in their first year, according to Public Health England figures for England and Wales revealed earlier this year.
In 2017, about 60,000 youngsters were obese by the time they left primary school, with 22,000 labelled severely obese.