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Jamie Oliver has said efforts to tackle the child obesity epidemic have been “pushed out” by Theresa May.

Jamie and fellow celebrity chef Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall led a scathing attack on the Prime Minister when giving evidence before MPs in Parliament.

They appeared before the Health and Social Care Select Committee ahead of the second stage of the Government’s childhood obesity plan expected later this year.

Jamie was invited to advise David Cameron’s Coalition Government for the first stage and has led a campaign on the issue for 15 years.

He described the childhood obesity crisis as a “catastrophe” and said it was time “every single minister” had a role in tacking the problem.

He said: “I was lucky enough to be welcomed in to the creation of that chapter with Mr Cameron.

(Image: PA)

“I knew there was a lot of work to be done and I felt that the people in the room and the way Mr Cameron ran the room was really good and I was impressed.

“Obviously with everything that happened with the [general] election and Brexit the world changed a little.

“What I saw come out the other end was a massive disappointment. I think we let British kids down and we let British parents down.”

“If we look at mortality and deaths and productivity then I would say this is a national security issue without question.”

Speaking earlier on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he said: “Mrs May took over, they pushed it out.”

It comes with Britain battling child obesity rates among the worst in Europe.

(Image: BBC) (Image: BBC)

Jamie Oliver has long been a campaigner for healthy eating, particularly when it comes to children. His fellow chef has a new BBC series out, Britain’s Fat Fight With Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, looking at why people are eating so much.

The celebrity chefs called for a crack down on junk food advertising and Jamie Oliver called for the sugary drinks tax to be rolled out to include milkshakes.

Fellow chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall told the committee: “I don’t think human nature has changed in the last 30 years but the obesity rates in this country have trebled.

“We’ve seen an arms race between the big food brands competing with each other in a game they’re extremely good at, backed by a huge amount of money and they’re racing for our appetites and we’re ultimately the losers.”

“It’s May the first today and this is May Day for the obesity crisis, and you can read the word May any way you like.”

Jamie, 42, has joined the Mirror in calling for a clamp down on energy drinks.

He wants a 9pm watershed for TV advertising of unhealthy foods and stronger restrictions on online ads.

“Our kids are being bombarded day in, day out, with junk food ads,” he said.

“Is it appropriate to advertise food that is high in fat, salt or sugar to children during prime time TV at a time when obesity is crippling the NHS? I counted seven minutes worth of ads for junk food in just one Britain’s Got Talent episode.

“That means if my kids watch the whole series, they’ve watched enough junk food ads to make a feature length film.

“Imagine it - Junk Food: The Movie. They’ll get you in the end.”

He added: “Don’t believe the hype! BOGOFs don’t save us money. All the evidence shows that they just make us buy more, eat more, and waste more.

“Stop encouraging us to buy way too many treats in order to get the cheapest prices.

“Why not make the price of individual items cheaper and balance it out so that more of the deals are on healthy stuff?”