Increase in childhood obesity renews calls for legislation on junk food marketing

The Children's Food Campaign today responded to the publication of new data from the National Child Measurement Programme which showed that the proportion of children in England who are overweight or obese continues to rise.

The figures show that the number of children who are overweight or obese by the time they reach Year 6 (age 10/11) has reached 33.4 per cent for the school year 2009/10, up on the previous year's figure of 32.6 per cent.  For Reception children (age 4/5), 23.1 per cent are overweight or obese, an increase from 22.8 per cent in 2008/09.

Children's Food Campaign Coordinator Christine Haigh said:

“This is bad news for the country's future health and economy: overweight and obesity in childhood increases the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease in later life."

She continued:

“Instead of cosying up to the food industry, the coalition government should take urgent action to tackle the childhood obesity crisis, including the introduction of legislation to protect children from junk food marketing.”

Ends

For further information please contact Christine Haigh on 0203 5596 777 / 07870 577934 or Christine@sustainweb.org.

 

Notes to editors:

 1)     The Children's Food Campaign wants to improve children's health and well-being through better food - and food teaching - in schools, and protecting children from junk food marketing. We are supported by over 150 organisations. The Children's Food Campaign is coordinated by Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming and funded by the British Heart Foundation. For more information visit http://www.childrensfoodcampaign.org.uk/

 2)     The figures from the National Child Measurement Programme for the school year 2009/10 were published today and are available at http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/obesity/national-child-measurement-programme-england-2009-10-school-year

 3)     Last month it was revealed how food companies were involved in formulating public health policy.  See http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/12/mcdonalds-pepsico-help-health-policy?dm_i=8UC,BDEW,13PDD0,VXNM,1  and http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/09/health-policy-extent-corporate-influence for more information.