Action on Sugar was called upon by the 2010-2014 Coalition Government, at a meeting with Jeremy Hunt MP, to address the childhood obesity crisis. We responded with a strategy document of SEVEN critical areas of policy to prevent childhood obesity in the UK, presented to Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Health, on 13 June 2014.

The plan details the following key actions to change the food environment, which is responsible for the obesity epidemic:

1. Reduce added sugars by 40% by 2020 by reformulating (similar to the CASH salt reduction programme)
2. Cease all forms of targeted marketing of ultra-processed, unhealthy foods and drinks to children
3. Disassociate physical activity with obesity via banning junk food sports sponsorships
4. Reduce fat in ultra-processed foods, particularly saturated fat – 15% reduction by 2020
5. Limit the availability of ultra-processed foods and sweetened soft drinks as well as reducing portion size
6. Incentivise healthier food and discourage drinking of soft drinks by introducing a sugar tax
7. Remove responsibility for nutrition from the Department of Health and return it back to an independent agency

These recommendations helped form the basis of the Government's resultant Childhood Obesity Plan, chapter 1.

Click here to view our Childhood Obesity Action Plan: Action on Sugar_Childhood Obesity Plan Recommendations [PDF 432KB]