Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, has lent her backing to a hard-hitting new campaign from Cancer Research UK to remove junk food advertising from TV before the 9pm watershed, following the charity’s annual ‘Parliament Day’ held earlier this week.

Catherine joined Cancer Research UK campaigners, including her constituent David Forrester, at the event in Westminster to hear more about the ‘Junk Free TV’ campaign, which aims to help tackle children’s obesity.

In the North East nearly one in four (23.7%) children have been assessed as being overweight or obese, and people who are obese as children are more likely to be obese as adults which increases their risk of developing cancer.

Research also shows that children who see junk food advertised on television eat more unhealthy food.  While such ads have already been removed during children’s TV shows, young viewers are regularly exposed to alluring marketing during other programming, such as family entertainment.

The launch of the Cancer Research UK campaign is accompanied by a report featuring interviews with 8-12 year olds (‘Ad Brake: Children’s perception of unhealthy food advertising on television). The report illustrates the persuasive impact of TV junk food advertising on youngsters.

Of one particular advert, a child said: ‘It makes you feel as if you’re happy and excited, and it feels like you want to try it because the guy’s dancing in it because he’s eaten it and it tastes good.’ Another child said they wanted to ‘lick the screen’, while others said they had ‘begged’ and ‘pestered’ their parents to buy junk food they’d enjoyed watching the adverts for.

Obesity is the biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking and is linked to ten different types including two of the most common cancers, breast and bowel and two of the hardest to treat, oesophageal and pancreatic.  

 Cancer Research UK is therefore campaigning for a comprehensive childhood obesity strategy from Government to help protect children and save more lives in the future.  As well as calling for the removal of junk food advertising on TV before the 9pm watershed, the charity wants to see the promised tax on sugary drinks brought into effect and the introduction of Government-led targets for reducing the amount of fat and sugar in food.

Catherine McKinnell said:

‘We are facing a real problem with childhood obesity in the North East, which threatens to have a very serious long-term impact on our region.  

 ‘It’s clear we need to act now to help give children and their families the best chance of a healthy future, and I fully back Cancer Research UK’s efforts to reduce the really damaging influence of junk food TV advertising on children’s lives.’

Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK’s Director of Cancer Prevention, said:

‘Junk food is everywhere. Children are bombarded by advertising tailored to tempt them with pretty colours and cartoons which all influence the food they prefer. We need stronger action to help our children have healthier diets, and eat fewer unhealthy foods packed with extra calories.

‘Being overweight and obese is a major cause of preventable illness and death in the UK, costing the NHS billions of pounds each year. We owe it to future generations to reduce the devastating impact caused by the obesity epidemic and help save more lives.’