Child obesity plan must include legal action on junk food advertising and discounts, say MPs

Tougher action is needed as part of fresh efforts to reduce childhood obesity, including a wider approach across government departments and more direct interventions such as restrictions on advertising and price promotions, MPs have said.

In a report published on 30 May,1 MPs on the parliamentary health and social care committee emphasised the need for childhood obesity to be seen as everyone’s business. Current estimates suggest that almost a third of children aged 2 to 15 are overweight or obese in the UK and that younger generations are becoming obese earlier and staying obese for longer.

A refreshed version of the childhood obesity plan first published in 20162 is expected to be published by the …