The British government has moved to ban ads for junk food during children's television programming.
Ofcom put forward rules today that would ban the airing of adverts for food and drinks high in salt, sugar or fat in connection with programmes that appeal to children under 16 at any time of day or night on any channel.
Advertising around children's TV programmes is completely banned in Sweden, and there are a range of restrictions within other European countries, but Britain's new proposals are among the toughest.
Ofcom said it had a responsibility to reduce the exposure of children to the advertising of such foods, balanced against the need to secure television programmes of high quality.
But the decision left both advertising and health groups angry.
Consumer and health groups had been lobbying for a full ban on junk food TV ads before 9pm.
According to the Health Survey for England, 16 per cent of boys and 10 per cent of girls aged between two and 10 are obese.