British firms join forces to fight obesity

By Staff Writer

Several of Britain's food and beverage, retail, media, advertising, fitness and healthcare companies have joined forces with the government to form a partnership to fight obesity.

With support from the Advertising Association, these firms and the government will encourage people to follow a healthy diet coupled with an exercise routine in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics.
According to Australian Food News, the government will contribute GBP75 million for this three-year advertising and marketing campaign. The consortium of companies will contribute in excess of GBP200 million.
Just Food quoted Alan Johnson, health secretary, as saying: "Tackling obesity requires a much broader partnership, not only with families, but with employers, retailers, the leisure industry, the media, local government and the voluntary sector. We need a national movement that will bring about a fundamental change in the way we live our lives."
This initiative of the government, termed as Change4Life, will be launched in the autumn, according to Just Food.
Some of the firms who have joined this initiative of the government include Cadbury, Kellogg, Nestle, Mars, Kraft Foods and PepsiCo.