Health secretary Alan Johnson is expected to unveil the government's long-awaited obesity strategy later today, with food labelling expected to feature highly.

Retailers and manufacturers currently use a combination of front-of-pack traffic lights or Guideline Daily Amounts labelling but Johnson will urge the food industry to adopt a single approach.

“I want to see our major producers and retailers agree with the Food Standards Agency on a single labelling system, easy to understand and best able to support us in making informed healthy choices about the food we eat,” he is expected to say.

Other measures expected in the strategy include planning guidance advising councils not to allow fast food outlets to be opened close to schools and parks. The review of a ban on advertising food high in fat, sugar and salt before 9pm is also expected to be brought forward to the summer.

Schools secretary Ed Balls will also announce that from September this year all pupils between 11 and 14 will be taught practical cookery lessons.

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