The British Liver Trust has joined more than 40 other health organisations and experts to send a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, urging him to take bold steps to protect babies and young children from harmful food and drink.
New research from Leeds University published this week was the focus of a Panorama investigation, ‘The Truth About Baby Food Pouches’, which aired on 28th April to highlight the shocking, but unsurprising reality that babies and toddlers are exposed to unhealthy food and drink products at every stage of their development.
The letter, sent by the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA) warns that today’s children could grow up facing worse health outcomes than their parents, and outlines the steps that are needed to properly tackle the rising issue of childhood obesity.
Parents of babies and toddlers are frequently targeted with marketing for ultra-processed snacks, drinks, and foods that are labelled as “healthy,” even though they’re often high in sugar and low in nutritional value. They’re also exposed to advertising for follow-on and growing-up formula milks that contradict public health recommendations.
The measures must be adopted as a priority. Government data shows that increasing numbers of children are shifting from a healthy weight in Reception, to overweight or obese in Year 6 rather than the reverse, and areas of deprivation are the worst affected.
Childhood obesity rates are growing at the fastest pace ever recorded, and children with obesity are five times more likely to remain obese into adulthood.
With one in four children with obesity estimated to have fatty liver disease, the improvements that have been made to limit advertising of unhealthy food and drink products are just not enough.
As a new poll reveals 75% of people questioned would support a ban on high sugar baby and toddler food, the Obesity Health Alliance is urging ministers to finally put children’s health above corporate profit and deliver on the promise of creating the healthiest generation of children ever.