Thread by @stevencjcummins

In our exciting new paper 🪘 published today in @PLOSMedicine we find the @MayorofLondon @TfL ban on #junkfood advertising reduces average household purchases of energy from HFSS grocery products by 1,001 kcal per week 🧵1/12 journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/a…

Most strikingly, average weekly household purchases of energy from chocolate and confectionary fell by 317.9 kcal (19.4%) 2/12

Average weekly household purchases of fat, saturated fat and sugar from HFSS products also fell:⬇️fat (57.9 g; 6.5%),⬇️ saturated fat (26.4 g; 7.3%) and ⬇️sugar (80.7g; 10.5%) 3/12

We used scanner data from 5 million purchases of foods and drinks, from nearly 2000 households and conducted a controlled interrupted time-series analysis comparing what happened in London with a scenario where the policy had not happened 4/12

This estimate was based on the purchasing trend in London before the policy and changes seen in households in a control area (North of England) after policy implementation, which accounts for secular trends and seasonal variation in HFSS purchasing 5/12

Assuming an average household size of 2.6 people in the sample, and an even energy distribution, the intervention reduced energy purchases by 385 calories per person per week - equivalent to approximately 72.1 g of milk chocolate 6/12

The impacts we observed are larger than those reported for the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy, those predicted for a 9PM advertising watershed on HFSS foods or a 20% tax on sugary snacks 7/12

However, while the results are encouraging, secular increases in HFSS product purchases in intervention and control samples were observed. Therefore, the policy reduced growth of HFSS purchases rather than achieved absolute reductions 8/12

Nevertheless, our study suggests advertising policies could have a significant impact on reducing obesity, and offer a potentially effective intervention in other policy areas such as the regulation of alcohol and gambling advertising 9/12

The findings are particularly significant for @sajidjavid @BorisJohnson Health & Care Bill currently going through parliament, providing wider evidence to support the case for the proposed ban on the online advertising of HFSS foods and drinks @LordBethell 10/12

Research funded by @NIHRSPHR led by @amylaiting with @l_cornelsen @CherryLawTW @Nicolas__Berger @martinwhite33 @jeanmadams @frankdevocht @EmmaBoyland @Lakenutrition @petticrewmark @thomasburgoine @olimytton @cthompson791 @ErVanessa7 Matt Egan, Karen Lock, Rob Greener 11/12

Full reporting of data, analysis, strengths and weaknesses can be found in the published paper and online supplements. 12/12

@OHA_updates @UK_ASO @CRUK_Policy @LSHTM @NIHRresearch @UKSustain @actiononsugar @BiteBack2030 @Childrensfood @Food_Foundation @jamieoliver @sugarsmartuk @ProfKevinFenton @OHID

Of interest @sarahboseley @JamesTGallagher @BBCFergusWalsh @BBCLondonNews @katlay @ADMBriggs