MPs call for controlling “deep discounting” of unhealthy foods by supermarkets to tackle childhood obesity

Ministers needed to introduce tough new measures for tackling childhood obesity, including controlling the "deep discounting" by supermarkets of unhealthy foods, MPs had said.

The Commons Health Committee said in a new report that the childhood obesity strategy of the government published last August did not go far enough.

A series of recommendations had earlier been made by MPs for tackling obesity, most of these were ignored or rejected by the government, they said.

One recommendation was for strong controls on price promotions of unhealthy food and drinks, though there was "no mention of price promotions" in the government's strategy, the new report said.

Another recommendation called for tougher controls on the marketing and advertising of unhealthy food and drink, but the strategy did not mention ''marketing and advertising".

Also proposals were not acted upon according to MPs which included the labeling of products to show their sugar content in teaspoons.

There was also no mention of improved education and information on diet or stronger powers for local authorities for tackling the environment leading to obesity.

A measure that was adopted was lower amount of sugar in food and drink meant for children. This was voluntary and the government had not set out what "penalties or sanctions" would happen if manufacturers failed to do this according to MPs.

''We are extremely disappointed that the government has rejected a number of our recommendations,'' said Dr Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative MP who chaired the committee, The Guardian reported.

''These omissions mean that the current plan misses important opportunities to tackle childhood obesity.

''Vague statements about seeing how the current plan turns out are inadequate to the seriousness and urgency of this major public health challenge.''