CELEBRITY chef and healthy eating campaigner Jamie Oliver has said he is "disappointed" with the government's childhood obesity strategy.

Despite repeated calls from health campaigners, curbs on junk food advertising do not form part of the document, and the TV personality, who backs a sugar tax, said too much of the plan is "voluntary" and "suggestive".

The plan places an emphasis on greater physical activity in schools and a voluntary scheme for the food industry to reformulate popular children's products to reduce sugar.

Ministers hope the food industry will cut 20 per cent of sugar from the foods children enjoy, such as cereals, yoghurts, sweets, breads and desserts, over the next five years, with a five per cent cut in the first year.

Also central to the plan is the government's sugar tax on soft drinks. The proposed levy on drinks such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Red Bull will come into force from 2018.

Oliver posted on his Facebook account saying he is in "shock" and that the long-awaited strategy from Theresa May's new government is "far from robust", questioning why it was shared during the recess.

"It contains a few nice ideas, but so much is missing," he said. "It was set to be one of the most important health initiatives of our time, but look at the words used - 'should, might, we encourage' - too much of it is voluntary, suggestive. Where are the mandatory points?"