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“Buy one get one free” deals on unhealthy food will be banned as part of the government’s bid to tackle obesity in England.
The plan will also include restrictions on where foods high in fat and sugar can be promoted in store and new rules for displaying calories on menus.
A ban on junk food adverts before 21:00 has been confirmed – for the whole UK.
Boris Johnson said the plans would help “reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus”.
The prime minister will unveil the strategy later amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and an increased risk from Covid-19.
Government statistics showed nearly 8% of critically ill patients in intensive care units with the virus have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population.
The move marks a change in stance by the prime minister, who has previously criticised levies on foods high in salt, fat and sugar – and described his views on tackling obesity as “libertarian”.
But Mr Johnson’s experience in intensive care during his treatment for Covid-19 is thought to have contributed to his changing position.
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Along with the ban on TV and online adverts before the watershed, the government said it would hold a consultation on whether to stop fast food adverts online altogether.
Labelling of calories on menus will apply to any restaurant, cafe or takeaway chain with more than 250 employees, and another new consultation will be launched around plans to provide the same information for alcoholic drinks.
‘Radical changes’
If implemented this will mean radical changes to the way food is marketed.
Most of the proposals were first set out in a policy paper in 2018 and put out to consultation before getting stalled.
The key is how businesses react this time, having previously been against the measures. The Food and Drink Federation has again given a hostile response.
But what about advertisers whose freedom to promote some food products will be severely limited?
A doyen of the industry Sir John Hegarty has come out in favour of a ban on TV ads of unhealthy food before the 9pm watershed. He said there was a growing health crisis.
Much of the drinks industry has already accepted the need for calorie labelling.
Just as Boris Johnson and other Conservative politicians have moved from a libertarian non-interventionist approach to a call for action on obesity, the business lobby could be shifting as well.
The new measures will be accompanied by expanded weight management services from the NHS – including online tools and “healthy weight coaches” to support patients – and a national campaign to help people lose weight and eat more healthily after the “wake-up call” of coronavirus.
GPs will be encouraged to prescribe exercise such as cycling and other activities and next year doctors will be offered incentives to provide help for people who are obese.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Everyone knows how hard losing weight can be, so we are taking bold action to help everyone who needs it.”
He said taken together, the new measures and the campaign will “get the country eating healthily and losing the pounds”.
Am I overweight?
The NHS says most adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 are overweight, while those with a BMI of 30 to 39.9 are classed as obese.
Body mass index is calculated by dividing a person’s mass in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.
Another measure of excess fat is waist size – men with a waist of 94cm or more and women with a waist of 80cm or more are more likely to develop obesity-related problems.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, also backed the strategy, saying it would “save lives”.
“These bold measures will help us tip the scales on obesity. The argument for action is the clearest it’s ever been,” she added.
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Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “This is a landmark day for the nation’s health.
“Being overweight or obese puts people at risk of many diseases, including 13 different types of cancer, and disproportionately affects people from poorer backgrounds so the plan will hugely help to level-up the country and build a healthier population.”
Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, chairman of the British Medical Association’s Board of Science, said: “The BMA has long been calling for new ways to tackle obesity and we are delighted to see that the government has sat up and listened.
“What we need now is for this strategy to be actioned as quickly as possible, with the promised expansion of NHS services delivered in full, with adequate resources and funding, to ensure that those struggling with their weight can get the support they need and deserve.”
But Adam Briggs from the Health Foundation said: “There is little sign of policies that will address the root causes of obesity.”