Public are backing a ban on junk food advertising
A recent YouGov survey has shown that 75% of the public in the UK back a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm. This is to curb the childhood obesity crisis. The survey, which was conducted in conjunction with Cancer Research UK, found that half of all people surveyed would also back a tax on sugary drinks. Overall, 82% of respondents supported government action on childhood obesity and admitted that is was a clear and current problem for the UK.
In the UK, more than one in five children is already overweight or obese when they begin primary school, and this increases to one in three by Year 6. Cancer Research UK are aiming to show that the advertisement of junk food is having a large and deleterious effect on the childhood obesity epidemic due to its behaviour influencing nature. Alison Cox, director of cancer prevention at Cancer Research UK, said that not only will banning and taxing junk food help, but it will also save the NHS billions of pounds, which could be reinvested in other parts of the health service. Clearly the public are beginning to support the idea of increasing bans and taxes in order to protect the health of the nation.
