Public wants more action to curb junk food industry

On 23 May, the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA) is hand-delivering letters to the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer MP and Sir Ed Davey - with a simple request for ALL political parties to commit to addressing the high levels of excess weight in the UK population.

This comes as new YouGov national polling data suggests the British public overwhelmingly want ACTION from politicians in order to create a healthier environment for every child.

The data reveals that:

• 80% of UK adults support the Government banning advertising of unhealthy food on TV (79%) and online (81%) to kids.
• 68% of UK adults would support an industry levy being extended beyond soft drinks if the money supported children’s food and health initiatives.

Sustain and the Children's Food Campaign, along with our partners in the Obesity Health Alliance, have expressed deep concern that unless bold action is taken excess weight will continue to drive unacceptable inequality in the health of the richest and poorest people in the UK. In addition, it will pile on the pressure on the NHS – new research estimates that supporting people living with obesity costs the NHS twice as much as supporting people with a healthy weight[1]- and drive down economic productivity by forcing thousands more people out of the workforce.

 The OHA will today present MPs from the Conservative Party, Labour Party, and the Liberal Democrats at the House of Parliament with its manifesto for the next General election – highlighting the massive opportunity to protect child health*. The next government can deliver this by building on the successes of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and empowering local communities to make the places they live healthier.

In summary, voters want to see the next government:

 

Prioritise children’s health:

• 60% of adults think advertising unhealthy food impacts on how much people buy.
• 8 out of 10 adults support the Government banning advertising of unhealthy food on TV (79%) and online (81%) to kids. Only 5% of adults strongly oppose a ban.

Build on what works such as the Soft Drinks Industry Levy model (SDIL):

• 79% of adults think the current Government should generally be doing more to make sure that healthy food is affordable during the cost-of-living crisis.
• 77% of all adults think the funds from the sugar tax should be used directly to fund programmes aimed at improving children’s health.
• 68% would like to see the SDIL model expanded to other unhealthy food and drink items. Only 7% of adults strongly oppose an expansion of the levy.

 Empower local communities:

• 58% of adults would like their local council to be able to use planning laws to reduce the number of unhealthy food outlets in the local area.
• 64% of adults would like their local council to be able to restrict unhealthy food and drink advertising in outdoor areas.
• 76% of adults would like their local council to be able to restrict unhealthy food and drink advertising near places that children congregate (e.g. schools, playgrounds).
  • This is supported by adults all around the country from Yorkshire & Humber  72% down to the South West 75%.

 

Katharine Jenner, Director of the Obesity Health Alliance says:

“Today we have written to the potential next Prime Minister of the country with a simple request to put children’s health first, address Britain’s obesity crisis and redesign a broken food system that puts profit before health. Luckily there are already policies such as the Soft Drinks Industry Levy that have proven to be effective so all that is required now is to build on this success.

 

“As individuals we deserve to have more control over the food and drink that’s available and marketed to us and the next government should lead on child health”.

Sustain's deputy chief executive Ben Reynolds says:

“It should be easy for everyone to eat healthily, especially children but it isn’t.  Our country is flooded with cheap, unhealthy, heavily processed food.  If it really was as simple as ‘eat less and move more’ we wouldn’t have a dietary health crisis.  The public are crystal clear in their appetite for Government intervention to redesign the food system to put health first. This provides an open goal for any political party to take leadership on meaningful action on prevention of ill health and set a long-term vision for a healthier and happier nation.”

Bridget Turner, Director of Policy at Diabetes UK, which is also a member of both Sustain and the OHA, says:

“Promises have been made to make healthier choices easier for the public and, in particular, children and families. However, they haven’t been kept. There is an opportunity now for the next Government to make a real difference to the health of the population by holding the food & drink industry accountable for everyone's benefit.”

 

British Medical Association Board of Science Chair Professor David Strain says:

“As medical professionals, we can see first-hand the devastating effect that obesity is having on both the child and adult population in the UK. The serious risk of illnesses associated with obesity including cancer, heart disease and diabetes highlights just how life-threatening it can be.

“Any future Prime Minister and Government must understand the importance of implementing laws and restrictions on the junk food industry that effectively curbs the population’s exposure to the advertising and marketing behind many unhealthy food choices impacting their health.”

Read the full Obesity Health Alliance manifesto.