Two-thirds of people across the city ‘are overweight or obese’
or obese in the 2018-19 academic year.
This rose to 39% for those in Year 6 – the final year of primary school.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson – who admits he struggles with his own weight – has announced a range of measures to help people shed the pounds, including a ban on some junk food promotions and stricter advertising controls.
The move comes after a PHE report found being overweight or obese can dramatically increase the risk of being admitted to hospital or dying from Covid-19.
The Prime Minister’s obesity strategy includes:
*Barring shops from pushing “buy one, get one free” promotions on unhealthy products
*Ending junk food adverts on television and online before the 9pm watershed
*Forcing restaurants and takeaway chains with more than 250 employees to add calorie labels to menus
*Expanding NHS weight management services and its Diabetes Prevention Programme
Mr Johnson said: “Losing weight is hard but if we all do our bit, we can reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus – as well as taking pressure off the NHS.”
Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, board of science chairwoman at the British MedicalAssociation,saidobesity can have a “devastating” impact on people’s health, including the increased risk from the coronavirus.
She added: “As the Government’s new strategy recognises, this has been a real wake-up call for the nation, and it’s imperative that we use this opportunity to make changes for good, not only for society today, but also for generations to come.”