UK health officials advance reforms to ban fast food and takeaway outlets from targeting children

Local authorities in England could ban new hot food takeaways and fast food outlets from targeting children in areas close to where they learn and play, as part of government obesity-related reforms.

Chief medical officer, professor Chris Whitty, published a recent report outlining a broad range of health opportunities and challenges for city populations. It flags a heavy concentration of fast food outlets concentrating on a limited range of products high in fat, sugar and salt, a high density of advertising of unhealthy foods and limited shopping opportunities. 

“While the food system in cities is very complex, this provides an opportunity to improve the health of city populations by enabling better access to healthy food,” it says. 

The report also notes that the food environment in cities varies between areas of affluence and deprivation. 

Protecting children from junk food exposure is welcomed by the Obesity Health Alliance. It supports the reforms to the planning system to protect children’s health.

Fast-food exclusion zones

The National Planning Policy Framework previously only required councils to “enable and support healthy lifestyles. However, this new policy contains an explicit direction to “prioritize preventing ill health,” giving councils responsibility and power to act in the best interests of their communities.

It states that local planning authorities should refuse applications for hot food takeaways and fast food outlets within walking distance of schools and other places where children and young people congregate as well as in locations where there is evidence that a concentration of such uses is having an adverse impact on local health, pollution or anti-social-behaviour.

Research shows that exposure to more takeaways is associated with unhealthy dietary habits.

Areas of deprivation have a heavy concentration of hot food takeaway concentrating on a limited range of products high in fat, sugar and salt, a high density of advertising of unhealthy foods and limited shopping opportunities. 

Restricting junk food outlets

Areas of deprivation have a heavy concentration of hot food takeaway concentrating on a limited range of products high in fat, sugar and salt.In areas of deprivation, children are twice as likely to develop obesity by age five and one in three do so by the time they leave primary school.

“Giving local authorities the powers to block applications for unhealthy takeaways near schools puts children’s health first and stops fast food giants targeting pupils. This is just one action we are taking to give children the best start in life and protect their health,” says minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne.

Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, adds: “The government and the chief medical officer for England have recognized that the food environment entrenches inequalities and promotes obesity, instead of promoting good health. This must change.” 

“We know that not all children are equally at risk — fast food outlets are disproportionately clustered in the most deprived parts of the country, where children are twice as likely to develop obesity by the time they leave primary school. These communities face up to five times more fast food outlets than wealthier areas, making healthy choices harder and widening health inequalities.”

These latest reforms come on the heels of other measures to curb the rise in childhood obesity, including earlier this month when the UK government cracked down on junk food advertising by issuing robust guidelines set to be enforced from October 2025.