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Response to launch of WHO Draft Guidelines: Sugars intake for adults and children

6 March 2014

We are currently reviewing the draft guideline on sugars intake published today by the World Health Organisation* and will be providing comment on the findings and draft recommendation in due course.

Over the past few months we have seen sugar singled out as a lead cause of obesity in the UK. There is no silver bullet to solving the obesity crisis which is the result of a complex range of factors.  We welcome and are supportive of measures that help people better manage their calorie intake, diet and health.

The overwhelming body of scientific evidence, however, points to a cause of over-consumption of total calories and our increasingly sedentary lifestyles as the lead cause of obesity. This is causing an imbalance between energy (calories) in and energy (calories) out.

Government Family Food statistics here in the UK show that there has actually been a reduction of almost 12%** in total sugar consumption over the last decade. We believe the public would benefit from a better overall understanding of the food and drink they consume.

* Prepared by the World Health Organisation’s Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group (Subgroup on Diet and Health)

**Annual statistics about food and drink purchases in the UK (DEFRA) www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-food-statistics