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A leading cancer charity has called on the Scottish government to restrict supermarket multi-buy offers on unhealthy food.

Cancer Research UK said stores frequently promoted items high in sugar, salt or fat, and said obesity was linked to 13 different cancers.

It called for urgent action when ministers publish their obesity strategy in late 2017.

The government insisted tackling obesity was a top priority.

Many obese adults also suffer from psychological problems, Tory MSP Annie Wells says.

Poor mental health can lead to compulsive eating, she notes.

Ms Wells asks: how is the the Scottish government going to address the psychological aspects of obesity?

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SNP MSP Sandra White says: "We really need to educate people that being overweight can literally kill you."

Ms White says she is happy to be more unpopular than she says she already is in her constituency if it means healthier children with healthier futures.

David Stewart welcomes the recognition that the environment must change to make it easier for people to make healthy choices.

The environmental shift must encompass more than food culture, he says.

Deprivation and inequality must be tackled, the Labour MSP adds.

"Our health inequalities are just inequalities".

Mr Stewart calls for clear targets and evaluation for the strategy.

"Poverty, not individual choices, is the driver of the problem".

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Scotland's poorest children are increasingly likely to be obese, while those in affluent areas are not, a new NHS Scotland report has found.

The rate of children starting school in danger of becoming obese was 7% in the most affluent areas, but nearly double that at 13% for the least wealthy.

Overall, NHS Health Scotland said that 29% of women and 28% of men aged 18-64 in Scotland were obese.

The level of obesity among Scots has remained largely stable since 2008.

Read more here.

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Labour MSP David Stewart says his party will be supporting the government motion and Tory amendment.

Mr Stewart says nutritious food frequently traded for convnenience and ready made meals.

He says Scotland has one of the worst records on activity in the OECD.

"The issue is less of a ticking time bomb, more of a grenade with its pin already pulled."

Mr Briggs notes research indicating nine in ten parents agree supermarket promotions impact what they buy.

There are market opportunities to promote healthier options, he says.

The Scottish Conservatives also support moves to make food labels clearer, the MSP highlights.

Referring to his amendment, Miles Briggs welcomes the minister's commitment that ministers will work to tackle obesity on a cross-portfolio basis.

Mr Briggs adds that access to physical activity is important.

Developing Scotland's interest in sport from observation into participation is important, the Tory MSP says, noting many people will have watched the rugby at the weekend (and perhaps woken up with a kebab the next day!)

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Tory MSP Miles Briggs says Scotland is facing an obesity crisis.

Mr Briggs says obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking.

He says it is vital the public have information like this available.

The Tory MSP says his party supports moves to tackle multi-buy deals.

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The Scottish government will increase the active travel budget and continue to invest in initaitives such as the Daily Mile and the Football Fans in Training, the minister says.

Ms Campbell commits to investing more resources into promoting breastfeeding.

The government will also support businesses in making their products healthier, confirms the minister.

While there is consensus around the need to tackle diet and weight, it will not be easy, Aileen Campbell warns.

"It will be a challenge I think we will all relish because the goal will be a healthier Scotland."

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Ms Cambell says there is a need for a new strategy that benefits everyone and tackles inequalities.

She says we need to be bold in tackling the environment that makes healthy food options difficult.

The public health minister says marketing measures must be taken and she calls on the UK government to restrict all food advertising until after the 9pm watershed.

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Ms Campbell uses her motion to highlight the development of "an ambitious new Scottish healthy weight strategy".

The minister says the strategy is necessary because:

• two thirds of the population are above a healthy weight
• almost a third of children are in danger of being overweight or obese;
• besity and the absence of a healthy diet are clearly linked to harms, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer

Public Health Aileen Campbell confirms the consultation on the strategy generated almost 400 responses from a variety of stakeholders, with analysis to be published soon.

Today's debate is to give parliamentarians a chance to feed into the strategy, she says.

"Meeting our dietary goals has remained stubbornly challenging. So too has tackling health inequalities," the minister states.

Obesity rates in the most deprived areas are 14 percentage points higher than the least deprived areas, she says.

The minister adds obesity is often a factor in life-threatening diseases, but it is preventable.

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The public health minister supports proposals including:

• restricting junk food price promotions
• exploring the strengthening of current labelling arrangements
• enhancing how nutrition information is communicated