Rochdale MP pledges support for tackling childhood obesity

Tony Lloyd commits to tackling childhood obesity

Tony Lloyd MP has committed to protect the health of children in Rochdale by pledging to work with Government to push for policies that will reduce childhood obesity.

At an event hosted by the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA) yesterday in Westminster, Mr Lloyd committed to make tackling obesity a personal political priority.

The event was organised to celebrate to implantation of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy – commonly known as the ‘sugar tax’ – which came into force earlier this month.

The Government is also expected to publish an update to its Childhood Obesity Plan in the coming months, with campaigners hoping for tougher measures particularly around junk food advertising.

Mr Lloyd said: “I am very happy to back the campaign to reduce obesity among children in the UK. Obesity can bring about some health problems in adult life that could be avoided.

"While the Soft Drinks Industry Levy is a good start, the government must act with haste to develop more policies which encourage people to make healthy choices, such as measures to restrict children’s sight of junk food marketing. Not only would this make sensible, positive change for people, but helping people to be healthier would free up some of the pressure on the National Health Service.”

Caroline Cerny, Obesity Health Alliance Lead, said: "The Soft Drinks Industry Levy is a significant step in the right direction – but we also need to see tougher measures on areas such as junk food advertising.  Currently, millions of children see adverts for junk food during family time shows which fall outside current regulations.  This loophole needs to be closed. We also want to see more done to improve the environment which makes unhealthy food too readily available at cheap prices.”

The OHA’s top three policy priorities for tackling obesity are:

• Current advertising rules are failing to protect our children. Children deserve to be protected from exposure to adverts for HFSS foods and drinks that we know can influence their food preferences, choices, and intake.
  The Government should close existing loopholes to restrict children’s exposure to junk food marketing across all the media they are exposed to. The rules currently only apply to 26% of children’s viewing time and still allow adverts for food and drink high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) to be shown during ‘family viewing time’ between 6-9 pm when the number of children watching TV is at its highest.

• The Government should fully implement and evaluate the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL).
  The impact of the levy should be monitored and evaluated annually with revenue raised reinvested in improving public health across the UK.

• The Government should take action to reduce sugar, saturated fat and salt as well as overall calories from everyday foods.
  Public Health England’s sugar reduction programme should be extended to include salt, saturated fat and overall calories.