The Known Hamburger Taste Is Scary... This Country Says It Can No Longer Let Kids Get Fat

UK Bans Online Junk Food Ads to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Restricts TV Ads Before 9 PM

The UK will implement a complete ban on online advertising of junk food starting next October to prevent childhood obesity, and will restrict TV advertisements before 9 p.m. This policy was initially promised by the previous Conservative government in 2021 but was postponed to give the industry time to prepare.

According to the UK BBC on the 12th (local time), the UK will fully ban online advertising of junk food from next October and restrict TV ads before 9 p.m. Andrew Gwyn, Deputy Minister for Health at the Department of Health and Social Care, stated that "the government plans to address this issue without further delay" and claimed that "such restrictions will help protect children from advertisements for unhealthy foods." The government plans to hold a four-week consultation with the industry to determine how to apply these restrictions to Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), which streams TV broadcasts over the internet.

Deputy Minister Gwyn also pointed out that "the childhood obesity crisis leads children to unhealthy lives and puts pressure on the National Health Service (NHS)." Prime Minister Keir Starmer also said, "The public healthcare system, the NHS, requires major reform," and pledged to "implement health policies focused on disease prevention."

With HFSS Advertising Restrictions, Childhood Obesity Could Decrease by 4.6% and Overweight by 3.6%

This regulation is based on research findings that "limiting TV advertising time related to food reduces childhood obesity." In 2020, a research team from the University of Cambridge in the UK published results showing that restricting TV advertising time related to food reduces childhood obesity. Using computer modeling, the team estimated the impact on children's health if advertisements for High Fat, Salt, and Sugar (HFSS) foods were restricted on UK TV from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The results showed that restricting all HFSS ads during this time could reduce childhood obesity by 4.6% and overweight rates by 3.6%.

To further support the rationale for advertising regulations, the research was conducted. Dr. Olive Mitten, who led the study, emphasized, "According to this research, TV advertising restrictions can protect children's future health," and added, "Since children nowadays consume not only TV but various media, policies considering this are necessary."