New guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed the finger at sugar, saying that global consumption of the saccharine substance must be halved to alleviate widespread problems such as obesity and tooth decay. That limits sugar consumption to just 5 percent of total foods consumed per day.
The guidelines pertain to 'free' sugars, or added sugars incorporated by cooks and manufacturers. As one of the more insidious added ingredients, sugar has a habit of popping up where you least expect it, with ketchup, milk, and fruit drinks all falling victim to potentially dangerous sweetening. According to the WHO, a tablespoon of ketchup contains around four grams, or one teaspoon, of the sweet stuff, while a can of soda contains around 40 grams, or a full ten teaspoons. The recommendations concentrate on monosaccharides like glucose and fructose, as well as disaccharides such as sucrose or table sugar. Syrups, honey, fruit juices, and fruit concentrates are also included.
Intrinsic sugars that occur in fresh, whole fruits and vegetables have not been included in the daily recommendation, which in its current form sits at a maximum of ten percent (or 50 grams) of a person's daily energy intake.
England's Chief Medical Office, Dame Sally Davies, welcomed further research just a day before, expressing a belief that "research will find sugar is addictive." She continued: "We may need to move toward some kind of sugar tax, but I hope we don't have to. We have normalized being overweight. I do fear this generation of children will live less than my parents' generation." Dame Davies was not affiliated with the study.
The WHO's own statement took a firm stance on the matter, issuing a 'strong recommendation' that sugar consumption should account for more than ten percent of daily energy intake and a 'conditional recommendation' that recommends a top of five percent. "There is increasing concern that consumption of free sugars - particularly in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages - increases overall energy intake and may reduce the intake of foods containing more nutritionally adequate calories," the WHO statement read. The agency cited that a high-sugar lifestyle contributes "to an unhealthy diet, weight gain and increased risk of non-communicable diseases (such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer)."
The WHO commissioned two systemic reviews to form the basis of the draft guidelines. Dietary sugars and body weight: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials and cohort studies by the University of Otago in New Zealand, and Effect on Caries of Restricting Sugars Intake: Systematic Review to Inform WHO Guidelines conducted by Newcastle University in England.
