The World Health Organisation has recommended that consumption of sugar be cut back by half to help reduce health problems.
The advice comes just a day after the chief medical officer in the UK said that a tax on sugar may need to come into force in order to fight rising obesity rates. Dame Sally Davies said research was likely to find that the ingredient is “addictive”.
The new draft guidance proposed by the WHO retains the current recommended limit of 10% of an individual’s overall calorie consumption, which is around 12 teaspoons of sugar a day.
But elsewhere some leading scientists have called for that recommended daily limit to be dropped to 5% which is six level teaspoons for an adult.
The limits apply to all “free” sugar, which is sugar called by several different names that is added to foods by the manufacturer, as well as that naturally found in honey, syrups, and fruit juices.
The WHO warned that much of the sugars are “hidden” in processed foods "that are not usually seen as sweets". A single can of fizzy drink could exceed the amount of sugar that children should have in a whole day.
Evidence is mounting that the increased sugar consumption in society today is contributing to chronic conditions such as diabetes in addition to obesity.
Half a billion people in the world are classified as obese, and the number is continuing to rise among all age groups.
The food industry denies claims over the effect of sugar on health, saying expert committees had found that the “balance of evidence” exonerated sugar from contributing to “lifestyle diseases”.
Nevertheless, some other experts point out that the growth of obesity seems to have coincided with the industry’s increased application of sugars into processed foods and soft drinks.
The new draft guidelines are now out for consultation. Campaigners will no doubt watch closely to see if, as a result, the recommended limit is dropped further.
