Social media firms should be forced to impose tough controls on junk food adverts, the head of the NHS said.
Ministers are considering bringing in a 9pm watershed on junk food TV adverts to prevent them being screened around family programmes.
But Simon Stevens said it was no longer enough to bring in rules on TV and called for restrictions on sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
‘For these restrictions to be effective, they’re going to have to also bring in what’s happening on social media,’ he said.
Social media firms should be forced to impose tough controls on junk food adverts, the head of the NHS said
Mr Stevens also warned of the ‘scourge’ of childhood obesity which was now affecting as many as a fifth of 11-year-olds. In a speech in London, he called for ‘vigorous’ and ‘assertive’ action.
Obesity rates in England are among the worst in Western Europe and a third of children and two thirds of adults are either overweight or obese.
Later this summer, ministers are due to publish an updated obesity strategy which is likely to call for tighter controls on junk food advertising and discount deals.
This will replace a watered-down strategy published in August 2016 which was heavily criticised by campaigners and health organisations for not going far enough.
Mr Stevens also slammed discount deals for sweets at tills.
Addressing a conference hosted by the King’s Fund think-tank, he said: ‘The big debate we will be having over the next month or two is how assertive and how vigorous we going to be on tackling the scourge of childhood obesity.
‘Childhood obesity affects one in ten children when they start primary school and one in five when they leave. There are a whole range of areas where it will be important we get it right.
‘Whether it be calorie labelling, thinking about children’s consumption of energy drinks, or so-called BOGOFs [buy one get one free promotions] at the tills that subtly nudge us into buying supersized confectionery.
Childhood obesity affects one in ten children when they start primary school and one in five when they leave
As we debate the advertising restrictions for young people before the 9 o’clock watershed we need to be thoughtful about the fact that this is not just a question about sitting in front of the television.
‘We’ve got to recognise that for these restrictions to be effective they’re going to have to also bring in what’s happening on social media and all the channels our kids are exposed to.’
It came as London planned to ban junk food advertising on public transport.
London mayor Sadiq Khan will today announce that unhealthy food and drink promotions will be prohibited on the Tube and buses. His spokesman said: ‘We really hope and are confident it will have a positive impact.’