With increasing levels of childhood obesity, the government should take note of the widespread popular support for the greater regulation of food advertising, says Lord Rea

The rapidly increasing rate of obesity among both adults and children is becoming our most important public health problem. Seven per cent of children were obese in 1974. Now the rate has more than trebled to 22 per cent and shows no sign of slowing down. While the problem is not so severe as it is in the USA where 30 per cent are obese, we are rapidly catching up. Obesity leads to increased mortality in its own right through for example increased liability to accidents, respiratory disease, and some cancers. But it is through its association with maturity onset diabetes (now beginning to be seen in obese children) - leading to increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, kidney disease and blindness - that it is most dangerous. In the USA the term 'diabesity' has been coined to describe the syndrome.

It is now recognised that much adult chronic disease has its origins in childhood, particularly coronary heart disease. One reason for this is that dietary habits acquired in childhood tend to 'track' into adult life. It is very difficult to change people's food preferences once they have become ingrained. But there is also evidence, apart from this, that some disease processes whose early stages have begun in childhood 'track' in the same way into adult life. An example is raised blood pressure (related to high salt intake) which is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke.

This is why it is so important to try to establish good dietary habits in children. One of the big problems in doing this is that despite government initiatives such as the 'five-a-day' campaign for fruit and vegetables and the promising school fruit scheme, children are subject to a relentless, child focussed, advertising campaign which promotes energy rich or salty foods, such as confectionery and snack foods. Many of these ads are located on TV at prime viewing times for young children - for instance, afternoons or Saturday mornings. This has been carefully documented by Sustain, the food campaigning group.

Debra Shipley's 10 Minute Rule Bill, due for its second reading in July, is important in drawing attention to the adverse effects of this advertising on children's health and will propose legislation to tighten regulation of its timing and content. It will be interesting to see how the government responds to this.

Direct evidence of the effect of advertising on children's eating habits (and therefore parents' food purchases) is difficult to obtain and the food industry is quick to point this out. It also maintains that reduced physical activity rather than increased calorie intake is the main cause of obesity and has engaged in a number of sports promotion campaigns. Unfortunately these are often linked to promotion of high calorie, high salt products - the most recent being the Cadbury chocolate for school sports equipment project. The Food Standards Agency is at present funding a review of research into advertising and the promotion of food to children; publication is expected in July.

In the year 1999-2000 the cost of advertising confectionery, soft drinks, snacks and crisps was £139 million and during that time sales of these products rose by approximately five per cent. Only very greatly increased physical activity by children could burn up these extra calories, or sweat out the extra salt. Unfortunately, despite exhortations, children are becoming less rather than more physically active.

A recent Guardian ICM poll showed that 82 per cent of parents would welcome the banning or greater regulation of food advertising on TV. It is time for the government to take note and act!