OFCOM CONSULTATION ON JUNK FOOD ADVERTISING TO CHILDREN

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That this House notes that one in three British children is now obese or overweight; further notes that childhood obesity is a public health time-bomb that needs to be tackled urgently; recognises that poor diet is a key cause of childhood obesity; further notes that 92 per cent. of children consume too much saturated fat and 83 per cent. consume too much sugar; further notes that television advertising is the primary way in which junk foods are marketed to children; further notes that a wide range of health and consumer groups, including the Children's Food Bill campaign, have called for children to be protected from junk food television advertisements before the 9 p.m. watershed; further notes with disappointment that the recent Ofcom consultation on restricting food advertising to children rules out protecting children from junk food television advertisements before the 9 p.m. watershed as disproportionate; calls on Ofcom to attach greater weight to the health and well-being of young people; and further calls on Ofcom to give the option of ending junk food television advertising before the 9 p.m. watershed equal consideration in its consultation.