Mayor of London, Boris Johnson , is cracking down on unhealthy takeaways in the capital.
The Mayor has revealed that 500 fast-food takeaways in London have signed up to an initiative that encourages the sale of healthier food.
Poor eating habits are known to be one of the main causes of obesity and Londoners living or working close to clusters of takeaway outlets are twice as likely to be obese and more likely to eat unhealthy food.
There are currently no laws to prevent new takeaway restaurants from opening, so the Mayor is trying to change the food that they sell.
Just one portion of chips can contain 69g of fat, the total recommended amount of fat to be consumed in a day, according to latest research.
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Since 2012, the Healthier Catering Commitment for London scheme has seen over 500 restaurants in the capital signing up, to make small changes to improve the quality of food they sell.
Boris Johnson, said: “It is terrible that as a city, and indeed as a nation, we are getting fatter.
“Throughout my mayoralty I’ve invested in grassroots sports and food programmes to get Londoners healthier and fitter, but we still need to do more to tackle our expanding waistlines.
“Life in a busy city means that we inevitably enjoy fast food, whilst takeaway businesses make a great contribution to local economies and this scheme ensures takeaway food can be a healthier option.”
