The UK government has launched a new strategy to encourage exercise and healthy eating in an effort to tackle the obesity “time bomb.”

The strategy report, published by the health secretary, Alan Johnson, and the secretary of state for schools, children and families, Ed Balls, has pledged £372m (€500m; $740m) between 2008 and 2011 as part of a package to encourage healthy lifestyles in all age groups in the UK.

Measures include making cookery lessons compulsory in schools by 2011 and reviewing the restrictions on advertising of unhealthy foods. There will be investment in the cycling infrastructure, as well as efforts to get the food industry to reduce sugar, salt, and saturated fat in its products.

The strategy report suggests introducing a single approach …