News • Children's Food Campaign
Government must do more to defuse time bomb of childhood obesity
"We welcome Tony Blair's recognition that childhood obesity is now the number one public health issue we face. We know poor diet, promoted by junk food advertising, is a major cause of obesity. The Government's policy to solve the problem by voluntary agreements is doomed to failure - voluntary restrictions have never worked and won't start now. If the Government is serious about tackling childhood obesity, the first step would be to protect children from junk food TV ads before 9pm."
In response to Tony Blair and Caroline Flint's visit to Nottingham to discuss
issues about public health, Richard Watts (Campaign Coordinator for the
Children's Food Bill) said:
"We welcome Tony Blair's recognition that childhood obesity is now the number one public health issue we face. We know poor diet, promoted by junk food advertising, is a major cause of obesity. The Government's policy to solve the problem by voluntary agreements is doomed to failure - voluntary restrictions have never worked and won't start now. If the Government is serious about tackling childhood obesity, the first step would be to protect children from junk food TV ads before 9pm."
Ends.
All media enquiries should be directed to:
Richard Watts:
Tel: 0203 5596 777 (work); 07710 782719 (mobile);
Email: richard@sustainweb.org
STATISTICS ON CHILDHOOD OBESITY:
The childhood obesity statistics paint a bleak picture about Britain's
future health:
- One in three children is now obese or overweight.[1]
- Obesity in under-11s has risen by over 40% in ten years.[2]
- The Chief Medical Officer has compared the crisis in children's diets
to a health 'time bomb' which must be defused.[3]
- The International Obesity Task Force estimates that each year in
England 220,000 additional children become overweight or obese.[4]
- Sir John Krebs, former Chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), has
warned that for the first time in more than a century life expectancy
may fall, with the real prospect that parents may outlive their
children.[5]
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1) The Children's Food Bill campaign recently published: "The Children's
Food Bill: why we need a new law not voluntary approaches" which sets
out why voluntary regulation fails. A copy is available to download at:
www.childrensfoodbill.org.uk
2) 112 MPs have signed a motion calling for Ofcom to consult on
protecting kids from junk food adverts before 9pm. Their names can be
found at:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=30821&SESSION=875
3) The 170 national organisations already support Sustain's campaign for
the Children's Food Bill to become law. This list includes many
prominent medical, health and consumer organisations, professional
associations and children's charities - the full list is available from:
www.childrensfoodbill.org.uk
4) Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming, advocates food and
agricultural policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare
of people and animals, improve the working and living environment,
enrich society and culture and promote equity. Sustain is a registered
charity and has a membership of around 100 national public interest
organisations. For more information, see: www.sustainweb.org.
[1] National Audit Office, Healthcare Commission, Audit Commission
(2006); Tackling Childhood Obesity - First Steps. [2] As above. [3]
Chief Medical Officer, (2003), Health Check: On the state of public
health - Annual Report 2002, Department of Health. [4] International
Obesity Task Force estimate is based on Health Survey for England 2002
figures, using UK definitions of overweight & obesity. [5] 'Official:
fat epidemic will cut life expectancy', The Observer, 9 November 2003.
"We welcome Tony Blair's recognition that childhood obesity is now the number one public health issue we face. We know poor diet, promoted by junk food advertising, is a major cause of obesity. The Government's policy to solve the problem by voluntary agreements is doomed to failure - voluntary restrictions have never worked and won't start now. If the Government is serious about tackling childhood obesity, the first step would be to protect children from junk food TV ads before 9pm."
Ends.
All media enquiries should be directed to:
Richard Watts:
Tel: 0203 5596 777 (work); 07710 782719 (mobile);
Email: richard@sustainweb.org
STATISTICS ON CHILDHOOD OBESITY:
The childhood obesity statistics paint a bleak picture about Britain's
future health:
- One in three children is now obese or overweight.[1]
- Obesity in under-11s has risen by over 40% in ten years.[2]
- The Chief Medical Officer has compared the crisis in children's diets
to a health 'time bomb' which must be defused.[3]
- The International Obesity Task Force estimates that each year in
England 220,000 additional children become overweight or obese.[4]
- Sir John Krebs, former Chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), has
warned that for the first time in more than a century life expectancy
may fall, with the real prospect that parents may outlive their
children.[5]
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1) The Children's Food Bill campaign recently published: "The Children's
Food Bill: why we need a new law not voluntary approaches" which sets
out why voluntary regulation fails. A copy is available to download at:
www.childrensfoodbill.org.uk
2) 112 MPs have signed a motion calling for Ofcom to consult on
protecting kids from junk food adverts before 9pm. Their names can be
found at:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=30821&SESSION=875
3) The 170 national organisations already support Sustain's campaign for
the Children's Food Bill to become law. This list includes many
prominent medical, health and consumer organisations, professional
associations and children's charities - the full list is available from:
www.childrensfoodbill.org.uk
4) Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming, advocates food and
agricultural policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare
of people and animals, improve the working and living environment,
enrich society and culture and promote equity. Sustain is a registered
charity and has a membership of around 100 national public interest
organisations. For more information, see: www.sustainweb.org.
[1] National Audit Office, Healthcare Commission, Audit Commission
(2006); Tackling Childhood Obesity - First Steps. [2] As above. [3]
Chief Medical Officer, (2003), Health Check: On the state of public
health - Annual Report 2002, Department of Health. [4] International
Obesity Task Force estimate is based on Health Survey for England 2002
figures, using UK definitions of overweight & obesity. [5] 'Official:
fat epidemic will cut life expectancy', The Observer, 9 November 2003.
Published Wednesday 26 July 2006
Children's Food Campaign: Better food and food teaching for children in schools, and protection of children from junk food marketing are the aims of Sustain's high-profile Children's Food Campaign. We also want clear food labelling that can be understood by everyone, including children.
