‘Wes Streeting bans adverts for yoghurt because it’s unhealthy… but pie commercials stay.
Health Secretary mocked for introducing a new law that bans junk food commercials before TV watershed.’
That was the headline in yesterday’s Daily Express and was pretty typical of the reception he got with his attempts to ‘do something’ about chubby-kids.
Of course it’s not true.
The actuality is, some foods, containing sugar will be prevented from advertising on TV before the nine o’clock watershed.
So the ladies contorting themselves on yoga mats will still be able to console themselves with an after Trikonasana with a pot of real Greek.
Even when he does the occasional good thing, Silly Boy seems incapable of landing it well.
Now, he is battling ‘nanny-state’ accusations and fighting the good fight for the future of the crumpet…
… which incidentally, despite the headlines, is not being banned.
Whilst I am in total sympathy with a policy to sort out the nation’s diet, indeed have worked with the former chair of NHSI, Ed Smith, to write a book about ‘Wellness’ (free download here), there are ways of achieving and ways not to achieve it.
Typically Streeting has gone the wrong way about it. His approach is total nonsense and won’t work.
Why?
Fundamentally this is a ban on advertising belt-busting-stuff on the telly before nine o’clock.
First question; does the anyone in HMG really think families who are likely to feed their kids junk-food will have their offspring in bed by nine o’clock?
Seriously?
As far back as 2018 a Sleep Council survey found that half of UK children did not meet recommended sleep durations, partly due to bedtime delays… and that means they are likely to be watching the telly…
… or does it?
A study of television habits published in the summer of this year tells us the amount of time youngsters spend watching live TV might be as low as 20 minutes a week.
Another report found;
‘… over half of children under 13 use social media, despite the minimum age requirement, and many admitted to lying to gain access to new apps and services.
Only a third of parents knew the age requirements for using social media platforms…’
There have been broadcast and media rules in place since 2007 and again in 2010. Ofcom, the sector regulator, evaluation found a 37% decline in advertising exposure to children.
Good, you might say, let’s have more of it! Well, that’s what Streeting has probably said. But…
… if it works, why have the kids been getting fatter?
We all know there is plenty of research that shows obesity among young people varies significantly across the UK, correlating strongly to areas with increased deprivation.
For example, 34% of 10-11 year-olds in the most deprived areas are classified as obese, compared to 14% in the least deprived areas.
This evidence underscores the need for targeted interventions to address childhood obesity, particularly in deprived communities, where long-term health inequalities are most pronounced…
… not targeting ads on the telly. The kids aren’t watching.
This is obviously too complicated for Streeting. Let’s make is simple. Doing what works is usually a good place to start.
What we know works is George Osborne’s, the former Tory Chancellor, sugar levy.
He simply said to the sugary drink manufacturers, you can make what you like and advertise what you like but if it contains sugar, more than 5g of sugar per 100ml, I will put a levy on every can and price it out of the market.
After an initial war of words, the makers of the tins of fat-fizz soon saw the writing on the wall, reformulated, no one tasted the difference and peace was restored.
The lesson, don’t target the advertising, target the people who make the stuff… it’s call root cause analysis.
Streeting has been bleating on about fast food chains ‘flooding’ areas near UK schools with unhealthy options.
He should stop moaning and start changing the planning rules to stop it happening. It’s called government.
A junk food ban was a Labour manifesto commitment. Streeting and his people are still locked in campaigning mode. Looking busy.
They have to mature. Understand delivering a manifesto is not the same as delivering policies that work.
He should stop grandstanding and get on with the hard-yards of government.
Fat chance.
News and Comment from Roy Lilley
Contact Roy – please use this e-address roy.lilley@nhsmanagers.net
Reproduced at thetrainingnet.com by kind permission of Roy Lilley.
