A Croydon MP has called on the Government to ban adverts for junk food that are aimed at children.

Geraint Davies, Labour MP for Croydon Central, believes the Government needs to do more to protect children from fatty foods after research showed childhood obesity has doubled in the last 10 years from five to 10 per cent, with the average life expectancy for an obese person cut by nine years.

Mr Davies is part of an all-party Commons health committee which produced a damning report on the Government's record to date of tackling obesity.

The report highlighted urgent steps to be taken to tackle the problem, including a ban on junk food adverts specifically targeted at children.

Appearing on Channel 4 News last Wednesday, Mr Davies claimed some food products were loaded with sugar and fat in order to hook children and parents into buying them.

He said: "That is why banning advertising against young children, clear labelling and protecting children in our schools is so important.

"This is a big test for the Government and we must not fail to act in our children's interests."