Childhood obesity could fall by almost a quarter over the next five years if the government pushes ahead with its new healthy food standards, a study has found.
The policy, announced by former health secretary Wes Streeting last year, is aimed at encouraging supermarkets to make the average shopping basket healthier. They could choose how to achieve that, either through reformulation, changing shop layouts, discounts on healthy foods, or loyalty schemes to promote healthier options.
If passed, it could result in around 400,000 fewer children living with obesity in the UK by 2035, according to the analysis by Nesta. This equates to a drop in obesity prevalence from 15.4% of all children to 11.8%.
Lauren Bowes Byatt, a director in Nesta’s healthy life mission, said the government’s healthy food standard would put food retailers on the path to radically improving the health of Britain’s children.
“Supermarkets could help slash childhood obesity rates by hitting the targets and getting healthier food on our shelves. But the government must work quickly if they want to see these benefits.”
She argued policies aimed at tackling childhood obesity have faced “unacceptable delays”. A child born when the government announced its junk food advertising restrictions was halfway through primary school by the time the regulations came into force in January, she said.
John Maingay, director of policy and influencing at British Heart Foundation, said Nesta’s analysis highlighted the powerful role supermarkets can play in reducing childhood obesity by shifting purchases towards healthier options.
“Children living with obesity are more likely to become adults with obesity, increasing their risk of heart attack and stroke – so early action is crucial.”
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