THE MP for the Vale of Clwyd has praised plans to tackle obesity including limits on unhealthy food advertisement.

Dr James Davies said he is "extremely pleased" following the UK Government's white paper the Future of Health and Care, which also proposes requirements for calorie information requirements on food packaging and local authorities to add fluoride to drinking water.

The white paper, in which some measures would only apply to England as health is a devolved matter, is expected to receive majority backing and come into force in spring 2022.

On a UK-wide basis Dr Davies, member of the All-party Parliamentary Group on obesity, said there should be a "level playing field" for online and television advertisements.

“I am extremely pleased that tackling obesity is so high on the Government’s agenda," he said. "The overall societal cost of obesity is estimated to be £27 billion a year, saddling the NHS with an annual bill of several billion.

“As I stated in the debate on ‘Obesity and the Covid-19 outbreak’ in Westminster Hall in November, the harsh truth is that obesity is strongly associated with a number of serious health conditions, including many leading causes of death. It is also associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality of life.

“The link between obesity, its comorbidities and poor Covid-19 outcomes has thankfully sparked renewed interest in tackling Britain’s obesity crisis, and it is vital that we keep up the momentum, especially given that the Covid-19 pandemic is still, sadly, very much with us.”