How to use Public Health England's sugar counting app

Public Health England has released a new phone app which can count the amount of sugar in a product.

The app comes as Public Health England has warned that many British children are consuming their own body weight in sugar each year.

Users can see how much sugar is in food and drink in a bid to help families cut down.

ITV News has put together a guide on how to use the Sugar Smart app - which can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play.

The app's instructions Credit: Public Health England

  • Download the app via the App Store or Google Play.

  • Depending on your age, your daily sugar allowance will differ. The app tells you the maximum you should consume.

  • Choose a product with a barcode.

  • Click on the app.

  • Allow the app access to your camera - a box will pop up asking for permission.

The pop up asking for permission to use the camera. Credit: Public Health England

  • Line the barcode up with the red line and wait for the beep. If it is not scanning, you may be too close to the camera.

  • The app will then tell you how much sugar is in the product - but the app doesn't have every product on the market yet as it is still in development.

  • You can then share the result with your friends on social media.

  • If you click on the menu tab, you can also learn more about sugar content in foods, check out your scan history and visit the app's website.