Bolder Action Needed From Government On Obesity, Says Heart Charity, UK

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 11 Mar 2010 - 1:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

In response to the Department of Health's 'Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives Strategy Two Years On' (1) report looking at the Government's progress on tackling rising levels of obesity in children and adults, Peter Hollins, Chief Executive for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) says:

"Unfortunately childhood obesity levels in England remain far too high and it is too early to trumpet success when the government still hasn't taken the steps it needs to really tackle this problem.

"The report recognises that consumers need the right information to help them identify healthier choices - yet ministers have been sitting on their hands. They need to stop shilly-shallying around and bring in a single front-of-pack food labelling scheme without further dithering.

"A combination of traffic light colours, guideline daily amounts and the words high medium and low has been demonstrated to give shoppers at-a-glance information about what's going in their trolleys.

"The Government must also do more to stand up to junk food marketers. A ban on all junk food advertising before the 9pm watershed is the only way to stop children from being bombarded with adverts for unhealthy products."

(1) Issued in response to the Department of Health's 'Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives Strategy' report here

- The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is the nation's heart charity, dedicated to saving lives through pioneering research, patient care, campaigning for change and by providing vital information. But we urgently need help. We rely on donations of time and money to continue our life-saving work. Because together we can beat heart disease.

- For more information visit http://www.bhf.org.uk/pressoffice

Source
British Heart Foundation

• Additional
• References
• Citations