Do you think the government’s new Better Health rules will help you to eat more healthily?
Polls
29th July 2020
BORIS Johnson has announced tough new rules to help Britain become more healthy.
The prime minister says his Better Health campaign will tackle the UK’s health crisis. Britain has one of the worst problems in Europe, with one in five primary-aged children overweight or obese.
Children with obesity are five times more likely to become obese adults.
So, what are the new rules?
- A ban on showing HFSS (high fat salt sugar) food on TV and online before 9pm – a total ban online could follow
- A ban on chocolates, crisps and sweets at checkouts
- Promotions such as ‘buy one get one free’ on unhealthy foods will be stopped
- Restaurants will need to include calories on their menus
There has been surprise at how far the new rules go. But Mr Johnson explained how he had “wanted to lose weight for ages”, and had been “way overweight” when he was in intensive care suffering from COVID-19. He believes being overweight affected how ill he became.
Experts say that being obese or overweight puts people at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. It also increases the chances of suffering from other health issues such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
The announcement follows months of campaigning by young people leading the Bite Back 2030 movement, calling for childhood obesity to be halved by 2030.
Teenage Bite Back 2030 co-chair Tasha Mhakayakora said: “Last week we wrote to the Government asking them to put the health of young people at the heart of British politics and today they have done that.”
“It had to stop” She added: “For decades, advertisers have been making stars of unhealthy food, shining the spotlight on cheap, low-nutrient products and encouraging us to overeat. That had to stop and we would like to thank Boris Johnson for taking such a tough stance.”
James Toop, who heads up Bite Back 2030, said: “During the day, 50% of food adverts have been for HFSS food, rising to 60% from 6-9pm. Today the end is in sight.” He says the new rules will make Britain a world leader at tackling childhood obesity. “They will force companies to make stars of healthy options and encourage people to eat food that is good for their health, not bad,” he said.
32 Comments
rainbow8 · 4 years ago
My family is already healthy and the crisps we buy are backed not fried. I don't go to the shops to buy unhealthy snacks.
rainbow8 · 4 years ago
#firsttocomment
cupcakesxo · 4 years ago
No, not . But, I like the idea of the showing calories thing in restaurants but wouldn’t also just discourage people to eat if the meal because it has high calories?
bettyboo92 · 4 years ago
Because I am an athlete I already eat healthy
opalstar · 4 years ago
#First to comment! YAY!
opalstar · 4 years ago
Why is no one else here?
puzzlepeas · 4 years ago
first to comment!!!!
I think that we should eat healthily, but still have junk food from time to time.
opalstar · 4 years ago
I don't think so, I eat healthy anyway and why are they doing it now? When so many people have problems, they could have done it 1 000 years ago!
tennis22 · 4 years ago
I'll definitely try to eat more healthy and exercise more with the government’s new campaign but I doubt it will do much.
kuhuzoo9 · 4 years ago
First to comment
kuhuzoo9 · 4 years ago
The rules will not get rid off the problem but they could help quite a bit especially for a start
kuhuzoo9 · 4 years ago
🍩🍪🍦🍿🥧🧁🍟🍬🍭🥤🌭🚫🚫❌
kuhuzoo9 · 4 years ago
🥙🥝🍅🍑🍎🍋🍓🥗🍗🥘🥛🥜🧆🥪🥔🥖🧀✅☑️✔️
nim-pom · 4 years ago
Yes, I think it is time that new rules be put in to improve health in Britain. The most helpful rule, in my opinion, would be putting the calorie count in each food in restaurants on the menu. This will raise awareness for people eating, as they would most likely choose the food with the lowest or a lower calorie intake.
Also, if adverts promoting unhealthy foods are banned, people will be less inclined to buy them. For example, if a brand advertised their newest, unhealthiest food with an offer, customers would go and buy it.
sunnysmilz · 4 years ago
#First to comment
catheaven · 4 years ago
Ummm yes they would help me to eat more healthily. But my family eats a lot of crisps...I am not worried about me not eating crisps and stuff because I am fairly skinny, and I exercise a lot 🚴🏻♀️🤽🏻♀️🤼♀️⛹🏼♀️
wizarde6 · 4 years ago
They won't make me healthier because I don't go shopping anyway (my parents do) and anyway we don't buy much junk food
sophie.w · 4 years ago
Yes, over time but not in a hurry.
tennis22 · 4 years ago
kuhuzoo9
is right
123yay · 4 years ago
I think that the rules the Government have put in place will stop us from impulse buying junk food that won't really fill us up and instead will encourage people to start thinking about what they are really eating.
abinews · 4 years ago
I hardly ever watch TV, and I never get any unhealthy food at the checkouts anyway. My family already eats healthily enough in my opinion.
pickles7 · 4 years ago
I think it will help bc all the adverts you see at bus stops or on banners encourages u to want that food
dorisbloom · 4 years ago
The new rules will probably not stop people buying unhealthy snacks to take home. As long as the packet looks enticing, people will buy the food without checking the label. And while advertising unhealthy foods might limit the craving for them, when you're on the high street and you spot your favourite fast food restaurant you'll go right in and eat whatever you want.
However, I feel that banning chocolates, crisps and sweets at checkouts and including calories on the menu would be the most effective new rules. At checkouts, people are about to buy the things in their basket or trolley, and so it's easy to just grab the enticing chocolate near the counter and go. If they're banned, you would instead have to be in the unhealthy snack isle to see it. This means it would prevent non-unhealthy-food-thinking people from eating something unhealthy, but it wouldn't stop those who usually buy such things from buying them. Putting the calories next to the food option in a menu is a great way to make the customer aware of what they're asking for, and so they might look for a healthier option if they find the one that they're looking at contains a lot of calories. Although, it may cause eating disorders in many people.
agentlord · 4 years ago
No because people have already seen and eaten the food they like so they won't stop
angie20 · 4 years ago
I don’t think these rules will do much difference to how healthily we are eating. But it’s extremely important that we are aware of how much sugar we have in a day etc.
freya2909 · 4 years ago
I am already encouraged to eat healthy snacks and sugary things now and again
I always get the zero sugar drinks so I am fine 🍇🍉🍊🍋🍌🍍🍎🍏🍐🍑🍒🍓🥝
hrhunter · 4 years ago
If we eat healthily we will be better people prettier and kinder because of our diet
p-unicorn · 4 years ago
yes because some kids are sooo fat
bamboomilk · 4 years ago
Seriously, are the government saying that we are not being healthy. I think we can be healthy ourselves if we want to.
panda89 · 4 years ago
I think that the government should of put a bit more in there plans for obsese people
lobsters98 · 3 years ago
YES THE NEW RULES WILL DEFINATLY HELP
rhubarbf · 3 years ago
Its good to eat healthily. It keeps your body healthy.