A new campaign targeting takeaway shops near schools is being launched in Wandsworth in a bid to tackle child obesity.

Shop owners will be shown how to cook healthier food if the fat or salt content in their produce is too high, and youngsters will get lessons on healthy eating, the council has said.

The drive is part of the Promoting Healthier Food Choices campaign, which has already been adopted by councils across south west London.

Councillor Malcolm Grimston, cabinet member for environment and leisure, said: "It's especially important to teach these lessons to young people before too much damage is done. That's why we're targeting takeaways near schools.

"Banning restaurants, in our view, would not work as children would just travel to ones further away - we want to make encourage people, especially young people, to eat healthily because they want to and understand the benefits.

"This is not an anti-food or anti-restaurant campaign - healthy customers eating healthy food in healthy establishments in a win for everyone."

Restaurant owners can get advice on how to cook healthier meals by calling 020 8871 6616 or emailing esd@wandsworth.gov.uk.

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