Advertisement

  1. National

Health experts call for clamp down on 'hidden sugars' in food

A group of health experts want more to be done to make the public aware of how much extra sugar is in their food. Action on Sugar want to help consumers avoid products 'full of hidden sugars' and encourage manufacturers to reduce the ingredient.

View all 4 updates ›

High sugar content a 'public health hazard'

The food industry puts so much extra sugar in some foods it should be considered a "public health hazard" which children need to be protected from, an expert has said.

Dr Aseem Malhotra, cardiologist and science director of Action on Sugar, said:

Added sugar has no nutritional value whatsoever and causes no feeling of satiety.

Aside from being a major cause of obesity, there is increasing evidence that added sugar increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and fatty liver.

We must particularly protect children from this public health hazard and the food industry needs to immediately reduce the amount of sugar that they are adding, particularly to children's foods, and stop targeting children with massive advertising for high-calorie snacks and soft drinks.

– Dr Aseem Malhotra

More top news