Government accepts scientific advice that recommended daily sugar intake should be halved

Children's Food Campaign's response to the publication of the Government's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition's final report on carbohydrates:

“The SACN recommendations (1) send an unequivocal message that sugar reduction in children and teenagers’ diets should be a major public health and political priority. No longer can government or industry deny the scale of the problem, especially on sugar-sweetened drinks, or the links between excess sugar consumption and the risk of obesity and diet-related ill-health.”

“Big changes are needed in the sugar content of food and drink, and the way it is marketed, to help families reduce their sugar intake. But five years of the Responsibility Deal and similar voluntary initiatives has not led to any reduction in children’s sugar consumption. Will David Cameron and his ministers learn the lessons of those past failures and  have the stomach to take the battle to the food industry?”

“All options should be on the table to protect children’s health. So it is irresponsible of the government to refuse to consider a sugary drinks tax before Public Health England has even had a chance to present its evidence review on the subject. Not only are sugary drinks the top source of free sugars in children’s diets, but also this decision sets a worrying precedent on ignoring the advice of the medical, public health and academic communities. We wait for the Prime Minister to set this right.”

“However, we are concerned that companies may use the new SACN fibre recommendations to increase the amount of sugary cereals and snacks aimed at children and currently marketed as healthy because of their fibre content. If the Advertising Standards Authority does not have the ‘fibre’ to crack down on this, then Government needs to step in with stricter rules and a tougher regulator."

Notes:

For further information and media enquiries, contact Malcolm Clark, co-ordinator of the Children's Food Campaign, on malcolm@sustainweb.org or 07733322148.

(1) The final Carbohydrates and Health report by SACN recommends minimising consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and halving free sugars in the diet to no more than 5% of daily energy intake. This is:
- 19g or 5 sugar cubes for children aged 4 to 6,
- 24g or 6 sugar cubes for children aged 7 to 10,
- 30g or 7 sugar cubes for 11 years and over, (based on average population diets)

(2) Free sugars – includes sugars that are added to food, as well as sugars that are naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates, not sugars in milk products and whole fruit & vegetables.

(3) Children and teenagers are currently consuming on average three times the new recommended amount of free sugars, research by SACN shows.