The Boris government in United Kingdom has decided to impose pre-9pm ban on TV adverts for food high in sugar, salt and fat.
Companies will also face a slew of restrictions preventing them from freely advertising food online if the tasty treats have a big dollop of salt or sugar in them.
According to a report by BBC, the TV restrictions come after Boris Johnson made tackling obesity, which affects more than a quarter of UK adults, a priority for the government.
Advertisements on junk food will be allowed only to air between 9 pm to 5.30 am from the end of next year.
UK'S health department said the restrictions would not apply to some foods that are high in sugar, salt or fat - such as honey, olive oil, avocados and Marmite - as these were not seen as contributing significantly to childhood obesity.
Jo Churchill, Public health minister said, "We are committed to improving the health of our children and tackling obesity".
"The content youngsters see can have an impact on the choices they make and habits they form. With children spending more time online, it is vital we act to protect them from unhealthy advertising", he added.
PM Johnson said obesity was one of the "real co-morbidity factors" associated with the disease, adding: "Losing weight, frankly, is one of the ways you can reduce your own risk from coronavirus."
The government says it is keen to prevent young people consuming too many unhealthy products and since 2018 manufacturers have had to pay extra tax on high-sugar drinks.
