WHO warns about high sugar intake among children and adults

By Caribbean Medical News Staff
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published guidelines insisting that adults and children reduce their daily intake of “free sugars” to less than 10% of total calories. A further reduction to below 5%—or roughly 6 teaspoons per day in a typical 2,000-calorie diet—would yield positive physiological health benefits, according to the guidelines.
A representative of WHO said that the rigorous process of the development of the guidelines is based on the latest scientific evidence with input from leading scientists from around the world and feedback through an open global consultative process.
“Sugar is not an essential nutrient and solid evidence shows that it can actually be harmful by contributing to overweight, obesity and tooth decay. These guidelines will help countries develop policies and actions to reduce consumption of sugars to improve people’s health. The idea is to reduce consumption of over-processed foods and hidden sugars while also promoting local foods and cooking traditions,” said Dr. Enrique Jacoby, an advisor on healthy eating and active living at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
“Free sugars” are referred to as monosaccharides (such as glucose and fructose) and disaccharides (such as sucrose or table sugar) that are added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer. It also includes sugars that are naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates. The guidelines do not refer to sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables or sugars naturally present in milk, because there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming these sugars.
Supplementary studies show that rate of dental tooth decay are higher when free sugar intake is more than 10% of total calories, compared with intake of below ten percent. The recommendation of less than 5% free sugars intake is based on population-based ecological studies that showed a reduction in dental tooth decay in countries where the availability of sugars dropped dramatically.
The guidelines are grounded on recent scientific evidence showing that adults who consume less sugar have lower body weight and those that intake more sugar, gained weight. Research also shows that children with the highest intakes of sugar-sweetened drinks are more likely to be overweight or obese than children with low intake of sugar-sweetened drinks.
Many sugars consumed today are “hidden” in processed foods that consumers do not view as sweets. For example, 1 tablespoon of ketchup contains around 4 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of free sugars. A single can of sugar-sweetened soda has up to 40 grams (about 10 teaspoons) of free sugars.
PAHO/WHO conducted a recent study of 12 Latin American countries. The research revealed that their consumption of ultra-processed food and sugar-sweetened drinks increased by nearly one-third on average between 1999 and 2013 and in three of the countries (Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay), consumption more than doubled.
In an attempt to reverse these trends, PAHO/WHO member countries in 2014 adopted a Regional Plan of Action for the Prevention of Obesity in Children and Adolescents, which calls for measures including restrictions on marketing of ultra-processed food and drink products to children; increasing the costs of these foods through taxation; increasing production and accessibility of wholesome fresh foods; and developing new guidelines for preschool and school meal programs as well as regarding foods and beverages sold in schools.
These efforts are outlined by the WHO Global Action Plan for Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs) 2013-2020, which entails curtailing the rise in diabetes, obesity and reducing the burden of premature deaths due to NCDs by 25% by 2025. The new guidelines are part of PAHO and WHO’s outcomes based management program to promote the prevention of NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.