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How much sugar do we eat? | How much sugar do we eat? |
(about 4 hours later) | |
There is fierce debate about the role of added sugar in contributing to the obesity crisis. | There is fierce debate about the role of added sugar in contributing to the obesity crisis. |
UK government scientists today halved the recommended level of added sugar people should eat each day. | |
And the World Health Organization has also said people should aim to get just 5% of their daily calories from the sweet stuff. | |
But calculating how much sugar we eat is not as simple as it sounds. | But calculating how much sugar we eat is not as simple as it sounds. |
What are current guidelines? | What are current guidelines? |
Sugar is sugar - right? Not quite. Health professionals take a dim view of sugars added to processed food but say that naturally occurring sweetness in milk and fruit is largely fine, with the exception of juice. | Sugar is sugar - right? Not quite. Health professionals take a dim view of sugars added to processed food but say that naturally occurring sweetness in milk and fruit is largely fine, with the exception of juice. |
Current advice says no more than 11% of a person's daily food calories should come from added sugars, or 10% once alcohol is taken into account. | Current advice says no more than 11% of a person's daily food calories should come from added sugars, or 10% once alcohol is taken into account. |
That works out at about 50g of sugars for a woman and 70g for a man, depending on how active they are. | That works out at about 50g of sugars for a woman and 70g for a man, depending on how active they are. |
And it's this level which has just been halved in a draft report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. | |
But look at the back of a food packet and you'll see a guideline amount for total sugars - including those naturally occurring in fruit and other ingredients. | But look at the back of a food packet and you'll see a guideline amount for total sugars - including those naturally occurring in fruit and other ingredients. |
While there is no UK government health guideline for total sugars, the figure of 90g per day is used as a rule of thumb on labelling in Britain and across the EU. | While there is no UK government health guideline for total sugars, the figure of 90g per day is used as a rule of thumb on labelling in Britain and across the EU. |
That 90g equates to more than 22 small (4g) teaspoons of sugar. | That 90g equates to more than 22 small (4g) teaspoons of sugar. |
Some sugar content is easy to work out: a 330ml can of regular Coca-Cola or Pepsi contains 35g - or almost nine teaspoons of sugar, all of it added. | Some sugar content is easy to work out: a 330ml can of regular Coca-Cola or Pepsi contains 35g - or almost nine teaspoons of sugar, all of it added. |
But a ready meal of sweet and sour chicken can also contain more than 22g or five-and-a-half teaspoons, some of which is naturally occurring in the pineapple. | But a ready meal of sweet and sour chicken can also contain more than 22g or five-and-a-half teaspoons, some of which is naturally occurring in the pineapple. |
And just to confuse things further, packaging previously showed guideline daily amounts (GDA) for men, women and children but this has been replaced by reference intakes (RI) - which, under European legislation, can only be shown for adults. | And just to confuse things further, packaging previously showed guideline daily amounts (GDA) for men, women and children but this has been replaced by reference intakes (RI) - which, under European legislation, can only be shown for adults. |
Reference intakes are not the same as dietary reference values (DRVs), which are what health professionals use when calculating added sugars - taking us back to the 10-11%. | Reference intakes are not the same as dietary reference values (DRVs), which are what health professionals use when calculating added sugars - taking us back to the 10-11%. |
"It's nigh on impossible for people to work out how much added sugars they are consuming," says nutritionist Katharine Jenner, of campaign group Action on Sugar. | "It's nigh on impossible for people to work out how much added sugars they are consuming," says nutritionist Katharine Jenner, of campaign group Action on Sugar. |
How much sugar are we taking in? | How much sugar are we taking in? |
All methods of assessing a population's food intake have their limitations. Anyone who has tried to keep a food diary knows how difficult it is to remember every morsel consumed: from office biscuits to the kids' leftovers. | All methods of assessing a population's food intake have their limitations. Anyone who has tried to keep a food diary knows how difficult it is to remember every morsel consumed: from office biscuits to the kids' leftovers. |
However, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey is the most complete probing of the UK's eating habits. | However, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey is the most complete probing of the UK's eating habits. |
The latest NDNS report found that all age groups were eating more added sugar (technically known as non-milk extrinsic sugars) than the 11% level but that children were exceeding it to the greatest degree. | The latest NDNS report found that all age groups were eating more added sugar (technically known as non-milk extrinsic sugars) than the 11% level but that children were exceeding it to the greatest degree. |
Young people aged 11-18 get the most of their daily energy from sweet stuff at more than 15%. Adults are more measured, just nudging over 11%. | Young people aged 11-18 get the most of their daily energy from sweet stuff at more than 15%. Adults are more measured, just nudging over 11%. |
Where do we get it from? | Where do we get it from? |
Soft drinks are the biggest single source of added sugar for young people, with boys aged 11-18 getting 42% of their intake this way. | Soft drinks are the biggest single source of added sugar for young people, with boys aged 11-18 getting 42% of their intake this way. |
Sweets, chocolate and jams made up another 19-22% of children's sugar intake and younger children also get a large proportion of their sugar from cereals - including cakes and biscuits - and drinks including fruit juice. | Sweets, chocolate and jams made up another 19-22% of children's sugar intake and younger children also get a large proportion of their sugar from cereals - including cakes and biscuits - and drinks including fruit juice. |
For adults aged 19-64, the main sources are also confectionery and jams, soft drinks and cereals. Alcohol adds another 10%. | For adults aged 19-64, the main sources are also confectionery and jams, soft drinks and cereals. Alcohol adds another 10%. |
Health effects | Health effects |
Scientists are still investigating whether there are direct causal links between high sugar intake and weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses. | Scientists are still investigating whether there are direct causal links between high sugar intake and weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses. |
What is known is that eating too many calories without enough exercise can lead to obesity - and obesity is a risk factor for other conditions. | What is known is that eating too many calories without enough exercise can lead to obesity - and obesity is a risk factor for other conditions. |
Latest figures show obesity in England climbing over recent decades before levelling off. | Latest figures show obesity in England climbing over recent decades before levelling off. |
Among young children, the proportion who are obese has fallen but campaigners say more still needs to be done to reduce the amount of sugar children eat. | Among young children, the proportion who are obese has fallen but campaigners say more still needs to be done to reduce the amount of sugar children eat. |