A NEW campaign is being launched by Cancer Research UK to raise awareness of the link between obesity and cancer with dozens of posters going up around the county.

The charity has renewed its call for Government action, particularly on ‘junk food’ advertising to children and price promotions on ‘unhealthy’ foods in supermarkets.

According to the latest Cancer Research UK figures, obesity is set to overtake smoking as the biggest preventable cause of cancer among women in the UK in 25 years’ time.

Huge posters will be on display at prominent at more than 20 sites across the county, including at bus stops and on billboards. The campaign will see displays highlighting the campaign at nine locations in Barrow.

Alison Barbuti, Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for Cumbria, said: “Fifty years ago most people didn’t know that smoking causes cancer. Today, we’re bringing the link between obesity and cancer to the public’s attention to ensure that people are aware of the facts."

The charity is also calling on the UK Government to build on the lessons learned from restrictions on tobacco advertising, and other aspects of smoking prevention, to help reduce the number of weight-related cancers.

These measures include helping to protect children by introducing a 9pm watershed on junk food advertising, because being overweight as a child means an individual is five times more likely to be overweight as an adult.