Health Secretary Alan Johnson told the House of Commons that the government wants to cut the number of children who are obese or overweight to 2000 levels by 2020.
"The government have set themselves a new ambition of being the first major country to reverse the rising tide of obesity in the population by ensuring that all individuals are able to maintain a healthy weight," he said. "Our initial focus is on children."
The Foresight group, which works with government to model future social trends, last year predicted that by 2050 a quarter of children and young people would be obese.
Current figures suggest 18 per cent of two- to 15-year-olds are obese, and a further 14 per cent are overweight.
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