Only time will tell if Johnson’s ‘summer of weight loss’ agenda works

With plans to restrict junk food advertising and possibly in-store promotions, what reason is there to think these kinds of measures actually work in reducing obesity? Ben Chu looks at the evidence

The share of the adult population with obesity has increased from 15 per cent in 1993 to 29 per cent today (Getty)

The prime minister is preparing to launch an anti-obesity drive to help get the UK population in better shape for a potential second wave of coronavirus in the winter.

On a visit to a GP surgery in east London on Friday, Boris Johnson said: “Obesity is one of the real co-morbidity factors. Losing weight, frankly, is one of the ways you can reduce your own risk from coronavirus.”

The government is hinting that among the measures could be a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm and restrictions on in-store promotions. This follows a “sugar tax” on fizzy drinks devised when David Cameron was prime minister in 2016.