Health groups believe children are influenced by television adverts

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said the government, food and advertising industries should work together to promote a healthy eating message.

She told a Commons Health Committee inquiry into obesity she did not want to "leap to regulation".

Ms Jowell said it was better to educate children than try to ban fast foods.

My sense is that there is a willingness in the food industry to work with us on this Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell

More than 100 of the UK's leading health and consumer groups urged ministers to ban junk food adverts earlier this month because they believe they are behind rising rates of child obesity.

Ms Jowell said: "I believe we always have to be prepared to say if a voluntary approach is not going to produce the results then we move to regulation.

"But that doesn't mean we have to leap to regulation in the first instance.

"My sense is that there is a willingness in the food industry to work with us on this."

'In control'

She said advertisers had an important role to play in promoting the healthy eating message.

"Rather than bringing up children in a world where they are denied a chocolate bar or a biscuit, I would rather see children growing up seeing that they should balance the bar of chocolate that they eat with a banana or a salad.

"They are more in control of their lives."

Ms Jowell also backed the controversial Cadbury's Get Active scheme, where schools were given sports equipment in return for chocolate bar wrappers.

'Take responsibility'

Nutrition expert Dr Carrie Ruxton told BBC News Online she welcomed the committee's emphasis on educating children about sensible eating and exercise.

"At last there is acknowledgement of the vital role physical activity plays in tackling obesity," she said.

"The only way obesity can be tackled in the UK is for everyone to take responsibility for the balance between calories in and calories out."

The Food Standards Agency and broadcasting regulator Ofcom are due to report on the issue this summer.