RCPCH has previously welcomed these policies as vital to address epidemic levels of child obesity across the UK and its far reaching health effects.
Dr Max Davie, Officer for Health Improvement of the RCPCH said:
It is disappointing to see the government go back on its policies to address junk food marketing. We have epidemic levels of child obesity across the UK and given the far-reaching health effects of obesity, we are storing up huge problems for children and young people. The policies now delayed, were a crucial step to addressing these issues.
Nearly one in four children in the UK are overweight by age five. It’s also a levelling up issue; across each of the four UK nations, children living in the most deprived areas are up to four times more likely to be severely obese than those living in the least deprived areas.