European proposals to tackle childhood obesity and unhealthy diets have been welcomed by SNP MEPs Ian Hudghton and Alyn Smith. In Brussels today the SNP MEPs voted in favour of a European Commission anti-obesity strategy including special measures to tackle childhood obesity.

But both expressed disappointment that Conservative and Liberal MEPs joined forces to defeat a series of amendments from the SNP's parliamentary group to restrict the marketing of junk foods to children.

The SNP has already pledged that an SNP government after May's Scottish Parliament election will introduce free healthy school meals in early years education, annual school health checks and halt the sell-off of school playing fields to encourage more exercise. The SNP is also committed to a ban on junk food ads targeting children.

Speaking after the vote in Brussels, SNP President Ian Hudghton MEP said:

"Obesity, particularly amongst children, is a very serious problem with long term health risks and I'm pleased to see Europe taking action on this.

"We need to see more co-operation at EU level to restrict the marketing of junk food to children and to encourage the use of healthy local produce in school meals. For that reason I find the actions of some Conservative and Liberal members in today's vote totally unacceptable. They seem to be putting junk food industry profits before children's health."

"Childhood obesity has long been recognised as a serious problem in Scotland with rates running at twice the UK average. The Scottish Executive has failed miserably to deal with this, and future generations will suffer unless action is taken now. We have published a number of policies which an SNP government will implement in Scotland after May to help deal with this issue."

Notes

The European Parliament meeting in Brussels voted in favour of the European Commission Strategy "Promoting Healthy Diets and Physical Activity" which sets out a number of measures to tackle obesity, particularly in schools and through EU wide action to tackle the decline in fruit and vegetable consumption.

Conservative and Liberal MEPs (and some Labour) joined forces to defeat a series of amendments from the SNP's parliamentary group designed to curb the deliberate marketing of junk food to children.