Hampshire nutritionist says junk food advert ban's a "great step in the right direction"
The government's ban of junk food adverts comes into place today
A Hampshire nutritionist says the government's ban of junk food adverts is a "great step in the right direction".
The ban comes into place today, removing junk food adverts from screens before the 9pm watershed.
It's in a bid to reduce children's exposure to unhealthy food advertising to help tackle rising rates of childhood obesity.
Brooke Redpath, a nutritionist in Hampshire, said: "I think it's a really, really positive step.
"Advertising is obviously incredibly powerful.
"It knows what we all want, what children want, and ultimately then ends up in their diets as well.
"I think by removing junk food adverts before 9pm, we're reducing that constant pressure on families.
"I don't think it's a silver bullet, but I do think it's a good move in the right direction."
The government say 7.2 billion calories per year are expected to be removed from UK children’s diets as a result of the measures, preventing an estimated 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.
We spoke to people in Fareham town centre about whether they thought the ban would go far enough.
One lady said: "I think you're better to try and educate the parents and stop the child from watching it because they are more influenced by what the parents think than what they see on television."
Another said: "Banning junk food adverts seems like a good step.
"As a nation, we're getting far more obese, it's putting pressure on the NHS which is already struggling."