The UK has banned junk food advertisements from being aired on TV and the Internet during the day

From Monday (January 5th), the UK will ban advertisements for "junk food" on TV and the Internet during the day. The government described this move as a "world-leading initiative" to address the issue of childhood obesity.

AFP reported that according to the Ministry of Health, this ban targets advertisements for high-fat, high-salt or high-sugar products and is expected to reduce children's diet intake by up to 7.2 billion calories each year.

The Ministry of Health said that the ban would affect TV commercials aired before 9 p.m. and online advertisements at all times, reducing the number of obese children by 20,000 and bringing about health benefits of about 2 billion pounds.

Local authorities have also been given the power to prevent fast food restaurants from opening stores near schools.

The government believes that there is evidence suggesting that advertisements can influence children's dietary content and timing, shaping their dietary preferences from an early age and increasing the risk of obesity and related diseases.

The government pointed out that in England, 22% of new primary school students are overweight or obese, and by the time they enter secondary school, this proportion rises to more than one third.

Health Secretary Dalton said in a statement: "By restricting the placement of junk food advertisements before 9 p.m. and banning online paid advertisements, we can reduce children's excessive exposure to unhealthy food."

Jenner, the executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said that this is a delightful and long-awaited initiative that will help better protect children from advertisements for unhealthy food and beverages.

The Diabetes UK also welcomed the advertising ban. Marshall, the CEO of the association, pointed out that the incidence of type 2 diabetes among young people is on the rise.

Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, a disease that puts them at risk of serious complications such as kidney failure and heart disease.