THE UK on Monday began enforcing new rules banning daytime TV and online advertising for so-called junk foods, as part of government efforts to address childhood obesity.
The regulations bar adverts for products high in fat, salt or sugar before the 9:00pm watershed and at all times online. The health ministry said the ban is expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year.
The ministry added the measures would reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000 and deliver around £2 billion ($2.7 bln) in health benefits.
The policy was first announced in December 2024 and follows other steps, including an extension of the sugar tax to pre-packaged items such as milkshakes, ready-to-go coffees and sweetened yoghurt drinks.
Local authorities have also been given powers to prevent fast food outlets from opening near schools.
The government says evidence shows advertising influences what and when children eat, shaping preferences from a young age and increasing the risk of obesity and related illnesses.
It says 22 per cent of children starting primary school in England, typically aged around five, are overweight or obese. This rises to more than a third by the time they reach secondary school at age 11.
Officials say tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for young children aged five to nine in the UK.
“By restricting adverts for junk food before 9pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods,” health minister Ashley Dalton said in a statement.
Dalton said the move was part of a strategy to ensure the National Health Service focuses on prevention as well as treatment, “so people can lead healthier lives”.
Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said it was “a welcome and long-awaited step towards better protecting children from unhealthy food and drink advertising that can harm their health and wellbeing”.
The charity Diabetes UK also welcomed the ban. Its chief executive Colette Marshall said type 2 diabetes is increasing among young people.
“Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and the condition can lead to more severe consequences in young people — leaving them at risk of serious complications like kidney failure and heart disease,” she said.
