General

Junk food advertising on television should be banned before the 9pm watershed in an effort to tackle soaring obesity rates among young people, warns RCPCH President Dr Hilary Cass.

A clampdown on advertising foods high in salt, sugar or fat would help protect children from unwelcome and unhealthy 'commercial exploitation', she argues.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health comments on the GMC's newly launched child protection guidance.

Child Protection Officer for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Dr Amanda Thomas, said:

‘When a doctor suspects a child may be the subject of abuse, the prospect of communicating this to parents can be daunting.

‘This new guidance should give thousands of doctors the confidence to raise these concerns and help communicate them in the best possible way to parents.’