Strong backing for junk food promotion ban

Warning appetite for sugary treats brings health risk

EATING too many sweets and drinking sugary drinks is putting the health of future generations at risk, a report has found.

And more than two-thirds of Scots now back a total ban on junk food promotions in supermarkets, according to the survey which highlights the nation’s high consumption of sugary snacks, drinks and ready meals.

The poll by YouGov for Cancer Research UK found 60 per cent of Scots believe price promotions play a “very or fairly large” role in encouraging shoppers to buy unhealthy items they would not otherwise have bought, with 69 per cent saying they would “totally support” a ban on such junk food offers and multi-buy discounts.

It comes after MSPs were urged in December to legislate against unhealthy supermarket promotions as part of the battle against Scotland’s obesity epidemic.

The survey also found 39 per cent of Scots consume sweets or chocolate at least once a day, compared to 30 per cent of those surveyed in England, and that one in five Scots consume at least one sugar-sweetened fizzy drink – such as Irn-Bru or Coca-Cola – every day.

Scotland’s appetite for fast food and ready meals is also highlighted, with more than half (52 per cent) of adults consuming a ready meal once a week or more, and 16 per cent eating fast food or a takeaway once a week or more.

Cancer Research UK cancer prevention expert Professor Linda Bauld, based at Stirling University, said: “Too much sugar in our diet can lead to weight gain – which is not just linked to cancer, but also heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and tooth decay.

“From our love for tablet to soor plooms, toffee to macaroons, we are a nation famous for our confectionery.

“If left unchecked, obesity will lead to a rising tide in ill health, including cancers, and become a crippling burden on the NHS. We know that sugary drinks and snacks are more likely to be discounted than healthier foods and we know that people are being attracted by these promotions.

“The Scottish Government can and must do more to make it easier to shop healthily and serve up a better future for our young people. We need urgent action now to prevent thousands of cancers in the future.”

The findings come days after research from Imperial College London found “strong evidence” of a link between obesity and the risk of developing 11 types of cancer: breast, ovary, kidney, pancreas, colon, rectum and bone marrow.

The study collated the results from 204 previously published studies exploring the connection between obesity, weight gain, waist circumference and 36 different cancers. In Scotland, 65 per cent of adults and 28 per cent of children are overweight or obese.

Prof Bauld added: “Our fastpaced lifestyles have fed in to our eating habits. We are now hurtling towards an epidemic of larger waistlines and increased cancer risk fuelled by ‘grab and go’ foods and a growing appetite for takeaways and eating out.”

‘‘ We’re now hurtling towards an epidemic of larger waistlines and increased cancer risk

SIR Ken Dodd has revealed how he was inspired by Glaswegian comics when he began his career at a theatre in his home city of Liverpool.

After picking up a knighthood from the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace, Sir Ken, 89, said: “All the entertainers were booked from a firm in Glasgow which meant I saw all the great comedians and I entered this wonderful magical world. These men would come on and tell jokes and the place was full of laughter and happiness and to me as a boy, that sounded like a good job.” Picture: Yui Mok