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Sugar intake should be halved

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Sugar intake should be halved

The recommended intake of sugar should be halved from 10 to five per cent of daily calories, say experts.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) final report on carbohydrates and health has concluded that sugar should make up no more than five per cent of daily calorie consumption – the equivalent of seven teaspoons.

The report also advises people to cut down on sugar sweetened drinks and increase the amount of fibre in their diets, in order to reduce their risk of obesity and dental decay.

Following the recommendations, Public Health England is calling on parents to avoid giving their children sugary drinks as a first step to reducing their sugar intake.

The SACN report found that sugary drinks are the biggest source of sugar in the diets of children aged four to 10 years (30 per cent), followed by biscuits, cakes and breakfast cereals (29 per cent), sweets, chocolate, table sugar, jams and spreads (22 per cent) and dairy products like yoghurts and ice creams (12 per cent).

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of PHE, said: “One fifth of 10 to 11 year olds are obese and almost two thirds of adults are overweight or obese and sugary drinks are a major contributor. There is nothing good about a sugary drink, particularly if you are under the age of 11, and we must work together to find ways to wean ourselves from the sugar habit.”

Louise Ansari, director of prevention of type 2 diabetes at Diabetes UK, welcomed the recommendations but called for “a concerted effort led by the government to take active steps to help people reduce their calorie intake,” such as “restrictions on marketing junk foods to children, legislation to take out fats and sugars in food and reduce portion sizes to cut overall calorie intake, greater investment to make it easier for people to be more active and if necessary taxation to make unhealthy foods less appealing.”

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