Fast food 'not seen as a treat'

The junk food habits of the nation's youngsters mean that the idea of having something such as sweets or crisps only occasionally is becoming an alien concept.

The study, by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), showed that 82% of seven to 14-year-olds do not consider crisps a treat, while more than half said the same about sweets. In total, 67% of children surveyed did not consider fast food to be a treat.

Two thirds of parents are concerned that junk food and drink advertising is affecting their child's food choices.  The BHF is launching a campaign calling for the Government to ban all marketing of junk food to children, including on food and drinks packaging and the internet.