WHO: Daily Sugar Intake ‘Should Be Halved’
Sooner, people will be advised to halve their daily sugar intake. The new guidelines from the World Health Organisation will reduce sugar consumption to make it below 10% of the total calorie intake a day, with 5% the target.
The suggested limits apply to all sugars added to food, as well as sugar naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit concentrates. It works out at about 50g a day for an adult of normal weight, said the WHO.
Announcing the new draft measures, the WHO said in a statement: "WHO’s current recommendation, from 2002, is that sugars should make up less than 10% of total energy intake per day.” The new draft guideline also proposes that sugars should be less than 10% of total energy intake per day.
"It further suggests that a reduction to below 5% of total energy intake per day would have additional benefits."
Dr Francesco Branca, WHO’s nutrition director, told a news conference that the 10% target was a "strong recommendation" while the 5% target was "conditional", based on current evidence.
"We should aim for 5% if we can," he added.
The plans will now go for public consultation, with firm recommendations expected this summer.
Meanwhile, UK campaigners said it was a “tragedy” that WHO has taken 10 years to think about changing its advice, and a number of experts now think 10% is too high, amid rising obesity levels around the world.
Public Health England said its scientific advisory committee on nutrition was reviewing evidence on sugar in the UK diet.
Director of Nutrition and Diet, Alison Tedstone, said: "Our surveys show that the UK population should reduce their sugar intake as average intake for adults is 11.6% and for children is 15.2%, which is above the current UK recommendation of 10%. "
Campaign group, Action for Sugar, said it was pressing for 5% to become the firm recommendation.
Nutritionist, Katharine Jenner, said: "It is a tragedy that it has taken 10 years for the WHO to think about changing their recommendation on sugar, which will have had.
High sugar intake fuels obesity
The new guidelines are based on a review of scientific evidence on the health impact of sugar, including damage to teeth and the effect on obesity.
Published in the British Medical Journal, the study found that whilst sugar did not directly cause obesity, those who consumed a lot of it, particularly in sweetened drinks, tended to put on weight as sugary food did not make them feel full.
New recommendations could be hard to meet
He added: "5% is untried and untested; 10% we can live with."
Prof Tom Sanders of the School of Medicine, King’s College London, said a limit of 5% added sugar "would be very tough to meet".
Dr Nita Forouhi, of the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, said the 5% target was "ambitious, and challenging".
On Tuesday a leading doctor called for a tax on sugar to help combat growing levels of obesity.
Dame Sally Davies, England’s Chief Medical Officer, told MPs: "We may need to move toward some kind of sugar tax, but I hope we don’t have to.
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WHO: Daily sugar intake ’should be halved’
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