Tackling junk food epidemic can cut cancer rates significantly

A cancer charity has welcomed moves to ban junk food adverts before 9pm.

The government is to begin talks on a potential ban of junk food advertising on TV before the 9pm watershed as part of a range of new measures to halve the number of obese children by 2030.

Its latest obesity plan follows the first chapter which was released in 2016, which brought in the fizzy drinks tax and a voluntary scheme for the food industry to reduce the amount of sugar in food and drink.

Cancer Research UK in Scotland also welcomed plans to restrict supermarket multibuy offers on high fat foods.

According to the charity, obesity is the biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking.

Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s prevention expert, based at the University of Stirling, said: “The UK Government’s decision to consult on a 9pm watershed for the advertising of junk food is a welcome step towards helping people keep a healthy weight.

“TV advertising is powerful and we know young people are more than twice as likely to be obese if they remember seeing a junk food advert every day.

“Obesity is one of the major health challenges of our time and can have devastating consequences. It’s the biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking, responsible for 2,200 cases in Scotland every year.*

Bauld added: “The Scottish Government has already said similar measures are being considered here and we’re looking forward to seeing the detail of its obesity strategy when it’s published soon.”