Report urges sugar reduction
There has been mixed response to the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s (SACN) final report on carbohydrates, with some food and drink leaders claiming it ‘confirms what we already know’ and that its ‘recommendations make little sense’.
As part of the Carbohydrates and Health report, SACN has advised the UK government to halve the intake recommendation of free sugars in the population’s diet to less than 5% of daily energy intake. The committee also advised increasing the recommended intake of fibre.
“Demonising any one ingredient in the obesity debate isn’t helpful”
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) believes the report serves to highlight that sugar can be enjoyed in moderation and hopes its publication will put a stop to ‘sensationalist’ comments about the ingredient.
Ian Wright, director general of the FDF, says, “The most thorough scientific review of carbohydrates and health carried out in recent years should leave people in no doubt that sugars can be enjoyed safely as part of a varied and balanced diet. Sensationalist commentaries on this everyday ingredient that are not based in science should now be relegated to the past. Demonising any one ingredient in the obesity debate isn’t helpful.
“The report confirms what we already know – that sugars are a contributing factor to tooth decay and if consumed in excess can lead to weight gain. SACN recommends a reduction in ‘free sugars’ in the diet as one way of lowering energy (calorie) intake to help reduce obesity.”
Meanwhile, Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, has criticised the report’s recommendations as ‘confusing’.
He says, “Some people do need to reduce their sugar intake and eat a more balanced diet, but the recommendations make little sense and will further confuse people.”
Both Wright and Partington highlight industry’s exemplary ongoing work to lower calories and reduce sugar, but point out that manufacturers of food and drink are just one part of a wider approach needed to meet the report’s recommendations.
Wright comments, “Companies’ ongoing work to lower calories in foods and drinks, including reducing sugars and to offer a range of portion sizes and low and zero calorie options, supports this ambition. Food and drink producers have been fortifying products with added fibre for years.
“To meet the stretching dietary goals that SACN recommends will mean changes to the way people eat. We hope SACN’s key recommendations will be translated into meaningful and practical diet and lifestyle messages which are consistently used by everyone with a voice in the health debate.”
Partington adds, “Our industry is taking action to help and has successfully provided the choice that consumers need by developing a wide range of low and no sugar drinks. Manufacturers have reduced sugar intake from all soft drinks by more than 8% since 2012.
“Our ongoing work will do more to reduce sugar intake than the setting of unrealistic targets that do not consider overall diet and lifestyle. It is baffling that soft drinks have been singled out and the industry’s work to reduce the nation’s sugar intake ignored.”
“No silver bullet when it comes to tackling obesity”
Likewise, AB sugar warns that the ‘concerning’ report isolates sugar rather than considering collaborative action to tackle obesity.
Katharine Teague, head of advocacy at AB Sugar, says, “We welcome the work of SACN and the experts who have contributed to the guidelines. However, we are concerned at the true value of the guidelines.
“It is important to remember, there is no silver bullet when it comes to tackling obesity and whilst helping people to be more aware of the calories they are consuming – whether through sugars or other types of ingredients – is important, we would urge policy makers to be mindful of the unintended consequences of focusing on one type of ingredient in isolation.
“For this reason, we suggest a holistic approach needs to be taken; one that includes a mixture of educational and regulatory measures. While it is up to the government to decide how to implement the recommendations, we suggest that a cross-departmental taskforce be explored in order to tackle the complex issue of obesity. We would urge policy makers to further consider how this may work in practice to bring about a more integrated approach across government in tackling obesity.
“What’s required is collaborative action to find real and workable solutions to the obesity crisis. We are committed to playing our part.”
About the report
SACN was asked by the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency to examine the latest evidence on the links between consumption of carbohydrates, sugars, starch and fibre and a range of health outcomes (such as heart disease, type two diabetes, bowel health and tooth decay) to ensure the government’s position on consumption was up to date.
In its review of the evidence, SACN found that:
• High levels of sugar consumption are associated with a greater risk of tooth decay
• The higher the proportion of sugar in the diet, the greater the risk of high energy intake
• Drinking high sugar beverages results in weight gain and increases in BMI in teenagers and children
• Consuming too many high sugar beverages increases the risk of developing type two diabetes.
In light of these findings, SACN recommends that:
• Free sugars should account for no more than 5% daily dietary energy intake
• The term ‘free sugars’ is adopted, replacing the terms non milk extrinsic sugars (NMES) and added sugars. Free sugars are those added to food or those naturally present in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices, but exclude lactose in milk and milk products
• The consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (eg fizzy drinks, soft drinks and squash) should be minimised by both children and adults.
