- Health campaigners have expressed outrage at a leaked draft of the UK childhood obesity report, calling it “pathetic” and “insulting”.
- The Government has reportedly weakened policies to reduce sugar consumption and scrapped restrictions on junk food marketing.
- Could the food industry have anything to do with this?
Health campaigners have expressed their, um, disappointment at a leaked draft of the UK childhood obesity report.
Chairman of advocacy group Action on Sugar, professor Graham MacGregor, slammed the plans as “pathetic” and “insulting” after the Government reportedly backtracked on proposals to force restrictions on food companies.
While we haven’t seen the leaked document, UK health campaigners allege the Government has ignored official advice to restrict junk food marketing. This includes bans on pre-watershed TV ads and sweets at checkouts.
They also claim the Government has watered down Public Health England’s recommendations to cut sugar in food by 50 per cent by 2020. Instead, food companies can enter a voluntary deal to reduce sugar by only 20 per cent – which Action on Sugar warns (and we agree!) is not enough to effect real change.
Not surprisingly, advocates believe Big Food may have had some sway over the revised plans, which the Government was meant to release earlier this week. While we wait with baited breath for the official report, could the delay mean officials are scrambling to improve the policies before it’s published? We can only hope!
Are you disappointed with the Government’s leaked plans? What measures would you like to see in childhood obesity policy?
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