There’s one little word that can solve our obesity crisis

Junk food advertising. It’s the hellish curse that ruins parenthood, the cause of all our childhood obesity woes, the single greatest crime against…

Hang on. Now call me a fuddyduddy, but aren’t we missing out a very important link in the chain?

Yes, yes, manufacturers. Down with ’em! Every last brainwashing one!

What’s that, you say? Of course, we blame the shops, too! How dare they pimp calorie-laden snacks to our offspring? What chance do we have when faced with images of cartoon cereal characters and Gary Lineker eating a bag of crisps? Shame on them. Don’t they know we are incapable of defending ourselves against toddler pester power?

Except we’re not. There is a foolproof, cost-free way that will make this – all of this – disappear faster than a bag of Monster Munch after a swimming lesson. Imagine it! Like one of those “Melt belly fat away with this one simple trick” or “The diet hack that doctors hate” clickbait online, but without the risk of malware.

Here goes… wait for it, wait for it… the 100 per cent successful route to better health for you and your family: just say “no”.

No, you can’t have it. No, I won’t buy it for you. No, that’s not what we eat in this house. No. No. Nooo!

Easy-peasy to say. Much harder to follow through. But follow through we must, while our children are little, because that lays down the blueprint for later life.

No. Our parents said it to us. No. End of. We sulked, obviously, but back then we were reared with an altogether tougher sort of love.

Parents didn’t crave to be liked, kids knew there was no point arguing. A treat was, by definition, a rare delight.

Children will always whinge and wheedle a little when they really, really want something; it’s all part of growing up, learning to negotiate.

Junk food advertising may sow the seed of desire. But teaching our children how to deal with the word “no” is a parent’s job.