The UK government has announced plans to ban daytime TV advertisements for foods high in sugar, salt, and fat, targeting popular items like burgers, muffins, and granola. The move follows a National Health Service (NHS) report highlighting rising childhood obesity rates in the country.
Nearly one in 10 reception-aged children are classified as obese, and around 23.7% of five-year-olds suffer from tooth decay due to excessive sugar consumption. The government aims to prevent approximately 20,000 cases of childhood obesity annually through these measures.
The restricted list includes fast food, soft drinks, ready meals, pastries, cereal bars, sweetened yoghurts, and snacks like lentil crisps and Bombay mix. However, healthier alternatives such as natural porridge oats and unsweetened yoghurt remain exempt from the restrictions.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that the policy is “the first step to deliver a major shift in the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention.” The legislation will remove 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets annually, significantly contributing to reducing obesity rates in the UK.
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/uk-govt-bans-daytime-tv-ads-for-less-healthy-foods-like-burgers-muffins-to-fight-child-obesity-101733381234503.html