LONDON, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- The British government is proposing banning junk food advertisements on television before 9 p.m. in an effort to fight childhood obesity.
The proposal is part of the government's white paper on health, scheduled to be published later this week, the BBC reported Sunday. The plan reported calls for manufacturers and advertisers to agree to a voluntary code of regulation.
Some British food advertisers have been cutting back voluntarily on food ads during children's viewing hours. Research shows there have been nearly 10,000 fewer junk food advertisements aired during the past year, compared with 2003, reported the Independent.
The banned food ads would include products high in fat, salt or sugar, such as those found in hamburgers, French fries and soft drinks, as well as in some breakfast cereals and fish sticks.
