Call for ban on junk food adverts to be extended

A BAN on junk food advertising in London should be extended around the country to tackle a growing obesity crisis, a health policy expert has said.

Dr Stuart Flint, of Leeds Beckett University, said the benefits of the policy, which came into force in the capital on February 25 could not be underestimated.

It means buses, trains and tube services run by Transport for London are prohibited from displaying posters and adverts promoting food and drink high in fat, sugar and salt. The ban also applies to roundabouts, bus stops, taxis and trams.

Dr Flint said: “I cannot overstate the potential benefits of this policy. Children from a very young age are exposed via public transport and other forms of advertisements to the promotion of unhealthy food and drinks.

“There is no doubt that this influences favourable attitudes among young people to these products, and they are much more likely to consume them as a result.”

Almost one in four children finishing primary school in Leeds are classified as obese. Statistics from Public Health England show that 19 per cent of year six pupils were declared obese between April 2016 and March 2017, and four per cent severely obese.

Some 14.4 per cent of year six children were declared overweight and on average, 38 per cent of youngsters are unhealthily overweight when they start secondary school.

Dr Flint, who has contributed to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity, said the advertising ban would also help to tackle type 2 diabetes and poor dental health.

More than 40 per cent of young people in the UK aged five-19 are classed as overweight or obese.

Almost 43,000 children in England had operations to remove rotten teeth in 2017, at a cost of about £36m to the NHS.