Obesity: Unhealthy ‘Buy One Get One Free’ Offers

“Buy one get one free” offers on unhealthy foods will be banned as part of the government’s bid to fight obesity in England.

The plan will also include restrictions on where high-fat and high-sugar foods can be promoted in the store and new rules for displaying calories on menus.

The ban on junk food ads before 21:00 has been confirmed for the whole of the UK.

Boris Johnson said the plans would help “reduce our health risks and protect us against coronavirus.”

The prime minister will reveal the strategy later amid mounting evidence of a link between obesity and increased Covid-19 risk.

Government statistics show that nearly 8% of critically ill patients in intensive care units with the virus have been morbidly obese, compared to 2.9% of the general population.

The move marks a change in stance by the prime minister, who previously criticized taxes on foods high in salt, fat and sugar, and described his views on the fight against obesity as “libertarian.”

But Mr. Johnson’s experience in intensive care during his treatment for Covid-19 is believed to have contributed to his change of position.

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Along with banning television and online ads before the dividing line, the government said it would hold a consultation on whether to completely stop online fast-food ads.

Menu calorie labeling will apply to any restaurant, cafe or takeout chain with more than 250 employees, and another new query will be launched on plans to provide the same information for alcoholic beverages.

‘Radical changes’

If implemented, this will mean radical changes in the way food is marketed.

Most of the proposals were first exposed in a policy document in 2018 and were consulted before stalling.

The key is how companies react this time, as they have previously been against the measures. The Food and Beverage Federation has again given a hostile response.

But what about advertisers whose freedom to promote some food products will be severely limited?

An industry dean, Sir John Hegarty, came out in favor of banning unhealthy food TV commercials before the 9pm basin. He said there was a growing health crisis.

Much of the beverage industry has already accepted the need to label calories.

Just as Boris Johnson and other conservative politicians have moved from a libertarian, non-interventionist approach to a call to action on obesity, the business lobby may also be changing.

The new measures will be accompanied by expanded NHS weight management services, including online tools and “healthy weight trainers” to support patients, and a national campaign to help people lose weight and eat healthier. after the coronavirus “wake up call”.

General practitioners will be encouraged to prescribe exercises such as cycling and other activities, and next year doctors will be offered incentives to help obese people.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, “Everyone knows how difficult it can be to lose weight, so we are taking bold steps to help everyone in need.”

Taken together, the new measures and campaign “will make the country eat healthy and lose pounds.”

I have overweight?

The NHS says that most adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 are overweight, while those with a BMI of 30 to 39.9 are classified as obese.

The body mass index is calculated by dividing a person’s mass in kilograms by the square of their height in meters.

• Check your BMI with the BBC calculator

Another measure of excess fat is waist size: Men with a waist of 94 cm or more and women with a waist of 80 cm or more are more likely to develop obesity-related problems.

Dr. Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, also endorsed the strategy, saying it would “save lives.”

“These bold steps will help us tip the balance on obesity. The argument for action is the clearest there has ever been.”

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Michelle Mitchell, Executive Director of Cancer Research UK, said: “This is a historic day for the health of the nation.

“Being overweight or obese puts people at risk for many diseases, including 13 different types of cancer, and disproportionately affects people in poorer settings, so the plan will greatly help level the country and build a healthier population. “

Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, Chair of the Board of Sciences of the British Medical Association, said: “The BMA has long been calling for new ways to combat obesity and we are delighted to see that the government has sat down and listened.”

“What we need now is for this strategy to be carried out as quickly as possible, with the promised expansion of NHS services delivered in full, with adequate resources and funds, to ensure that those struggling with their weight can gain support they need and deserve. “

But Adam Briggs of the Health Foundation said: “There is little sign of policy addressing the root causes of obesity.”