Restaurants, cafes and takeaway outlets will be forced to display calorie counts under new Government plans which aim to halve levels of childhood obesity within 12 years.

The new measures will also including asking every primary school to introduce schemes to boost children’s activity, such as the Daily Mile, an initiative which sees pupils run for 15 minutes a day, on top of regular PE lessons.

Children could also be banned from buying sugary energy drinks - which can contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee - under the plans.

A quarter of children aged six to nine are now consuming energy drinks. Ministers said “dangerous overconsumption” combined with inactive lifestyles was having "a catastrophic effect on our children’s health,” which could cut lives short.

The new plans will see a consultation on the introduction of "clear, consistent calorie labelling" on menus in restaurants, cafés and takeaways.