A coalition of companies including BSkyB, ITV, Tesco, Coca-Cola, Cadbury and AOL have pledged the equivalent of more than £200m in advertising space and services to support the government's "Change4Life" healthy lifestyles marketing initiative.
The industry consortium, which has been spearheaded by the Advertising Association, will work with government to promote healthy diets and physical activity in the runup to the 2012 Olympics, as revealed by MediaGuardian.co.uk last month.
The industry contribution, expected to be worth "well in excess" of £200m, has been pledged over the next four years. It is in addition to the £75m the government is spending on a three-year anti-obesity push.
It will not be in cash but from airtime on television, on-pack promotions and ad campaigns created pro-bono.
The AA said that industry would "integrate core campaign messages into branded communications and activities and use broadcast media to amplify the central campaign theme".
Founding members of the coalition also include broadcasters Channel Five, Channel 4, Viacom, Virgin Media TV and Discovery Networks UK as well as the RadioCentre, the body that represents the commercial radio industry.
Major UK food and drink companies including PepsiCo, Britvic, Cadbury, Kellogg, Kraft, Mars and Nestlé have also signed up.
Advertising agencies AMV BBDO, which handles clients including Mars, Pepsi and Walkers, digital agency Profero, media agency OMD and the Outdoor Advertising Association are also on board.
Tesco is the only major supermarket to be named, although others are thought to be supporting the plan.
"Business is part of the solution to tackling obesity in the UK," said Baroness Peta Buscombe, the chief executive of the Advertising Association.
"By harnessing the immense talents in this country in advertising, marketing and media we believe we can make a real difference, bringing about real change."
There are also plans for a series of high-profile industry coordinated public events to be held across the UK in the runup to the 2012 Olympics.
To date the advertising and TV industries have borne the brunt of accusations of fuelling problems such as obesity and binge drinking.
"Through this coalition, we are all making a strong statement that we are committed to working with government and the voluntary sector to transform the health of the nation and be a force for good," Buscombe said.
"We welcome everyone and anyone if they want to join the movement, as long as they sign up to the conditions for using the brand, and the health messages, that the Department of Health has developed and owns," said a spokeswoman for the DoH.
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