Overweight and obesity is the second biggest cause of cancer in the UK after smoking and is linked to 13 types of cancer. More than 1 in 20 cancer cases are caused by excess weight (22,800 cases a year in the UK) and the risk increases with the amount of excess weight. CRUK analysis estimates over 21 million UK adults will be obese by 2040. A child who is obese is around five times more likely to be obese in adulthood; so acting early is critical.
Find out about the link between obesity and cancer in adults
We are calling for the UK Government to implement the UK-wide TV and online advertising restrictions on foods high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS). The legislation was passed into law in 2022, but the UK Government has delayed it coming into force until October 2025.
Our research has shown that young people report that exposure to junk food marketing clearly influences their food choices. These findings align with findings from systematic reviews and wider research, which show advertising increases food intake in children.
The UK Government’s own figures suggest that implementing the HFSS advertising restrictions could reduce the number of children living with obesity by around 20,000 over the coming years. The policy also garners consistently high public support, with 8 out of 10 UK adults supporting the government banning advertising of unhealthy food on TV and online to children.
Our campaigning on junk food marketing
Our research reports on junk food marketing
Food marketing and obesity: the evidence(PDF, 266 KB)
We are calling for the UK Government to implement restrictions on volume-based price promotions on HFSS products in England. The legislation was passed in 2021, but the UK Government has delayed it coming into force until October 2025. We are also calling for devolved governments to implement HFSS price and location promotions restrictions too.
Less healthy foods are frequently purchased on promotion, and promotions tend to increase the amount consumed. Therefore, restricting price and location-based promotions on unhealthy foods could help shift behaviour towards healthier food purchasing.
Volume-based promotions (including multi-buy deals) are especially shown to encourage shoppers to spend more money than they planned to. Companies have a choice as to which products they place on promotion. These regulations would incentivise industry to reformulate some of its unhealthier products or bring in new, healthier products. This has already started to happen in England, when restrictions on the placement of food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) in stores were introduced in October 2022.
Routes to a healthy shopping journey
Our evidence on price promotions and purchasing(PDF, 732 KB)
The Obesity Health Alliance is a coalition of over 50 health organisations, including Cancer Research UK, who have joined together to advocate for policies to improve population health and address obesity in England and at a UK-wide level.
The Obesity Health Alliance has three main asks of the next UK Government:
Give children’s health the priority it deserves – including renewing the commitment to halve childhood obesity by 2030, alongside tangible measures to achieve this.
Build on the success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to design further fiscal measures that incentivise industry to sell healthier food and drink options and to invest revenue raised in funding policies to improve children’s health, especially for people on lower incomes.
Empower local communities to make the places they live healthier. Do this by updating planning laws to enable local authorities to increase the number of healthy food and drink options and reduce the prevalence of unhealthy food outlets. And do this by increasing the powers of local authorities to tackle the flood of unhealthy food and drink advertising in outdoor areas, especially near places children congregate.
Cancer Research UK works closely with advocacy alliances and other partners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help support the introduction of policies that would help reduce the rates of overweight and obesity in those nations.
The Scottish Obesity Alliance: a forum for organisations to collaborate to influence policy and practice on obesity prevention in Scotland. The Scottish Obesity Alliance works together to influence the Scottish and UK Government’s policies on overweight and obesity, through advocacy and communication, identifying evidence and solutions, sharing knowledge and evidence between members.
Obesity Alliance Cymru: a group of leading national charities, professional bodies, campaign groups and membership bodies working together to support public health in Wales. The Obesity Alliance Cymru is a forum for organisations to collaborate and influence policy on preventing and reducing obesity in Wales.
Our mission is to reduce obesity in the UK and prevent as many cases of cancer as possible. We know there is no silver bullet to reduce obesity, and there are many things that need to change in the food environment so healthy habits are easier to maintain. Cancer Research UK is working to make a difference at all levels of society. This includes:
Running public awareness campaigns to inform people of the link between obesity and cancer
Working to influence Government to introduce policies to reduce childhood obesity
Funding research to build the evidence base on obesity and cancer
Working in partnership with other organisations to tackle obesity
Engaging with the public about how they can reduce their risk of cancer
Sharing information on how to maintain healthier habits
