Government unveils second phase of Change4Life TV campaign

The second instalment in the Government’s £75m anti-obesity advertising drive Change4Life will hit television screens today.

The ad, the second in the series created by M&C Saatchi using Aardman Animations designed characters, aims to encourage parents to ensure children get at least 60 “active minutes” per day.

The Change4Life “family” are shown realising “sitting around doing nothing” can lead to a build up of fat in their bodies which can cause diseases such as type two diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

The family then find lots of fun ways to get their children active for 60 minutes, including playing video games in which kids need to move about, as well as walking to school and playing in the park.

The ads follow results from a Change4Life survey showing that almost three quarters (72%) of children are not getting their 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

The three-year campaign launched in January aimed at “reframing” obesity as a health issue rather than a vanity worry. The Government is aiming for 75% awareness among mothers by the end of this month and 82% by the end of the year.

The campaign will shift to focusing on “at risk” adult groups from next January.