Children's sugar intake near double target

Published on Thursday 27 March 2008 21:04

CHILDREN in Scotland are eating almost twice as much sugar as was recommended in a target to limit consumption set a decade ago, a report revealed yesterday.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) found that almost a fifth of a child's calorie intake was made up of sugar.

And the amount of sugar consumed by children has actually increased in the past ten years, despite a growing number of initiatives to improve diet.

Campaigners called for greater action from the industry and parents to reduce sugar consumption among children.

The FSA report found that the main sources of sugar in children's diets were soft drinks, sweets, biscuits and cakes.

In 1996, a Scottish Dietary Target was set, stating that the average intake of non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES) – those added to food and drink, table sugar and sugar present in fruit juices – should be less than 10 per cent of calorie intake.

But the FSA's survey of 1,700 children found that average intake was 17.4 per cent in 2006.

This compared with an average of 17.1 per cent found in the Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey in 2004 and 16.7 per cent in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey in 1997.

Sugar consumption was higher in older children – 19.1 per cent in 12- to 17-year-olds compared with 15.8 in those aged three to seven.

Consumption was also higher among children from the most deprived areas – 18.4 per cent compared with 16.3 per cent in the most affluent.

The report found NMES intake was significantly higher in children who had been treated for dental decay – 18.5 per cent compared with 16.1 per cent in those who had not had treatment.

Jim Thomson, FSA Scotland's assistant director, said: "This is the first type of survey of its kind to be carried out with children in Scotland and, disappointingly, it provides evidence that youngsters are consuming a lot more sugar than the 10 per cent target.

" It underlines the ongoing need for the FSA Scotland to continue to work with other organisations, particularly the Scottish Government, to promote a healthy, balanced diet

."

Ian Tokelove, of the Food Commission, said the results of the survey were not surprising.

"Children are rightly encouraged to eat breakfast, but all too often that means a cereal which is made of at least a third sugar. That gets them off to a sugary start, which they continue throughout the day."

In recent years, various schemes have been introduced in Scotland to improve children's diets, including the Hungry for Success initiative.

Later this year extra measures are being introduced to remove sweets and fizzy drinks from schools and limit other unhealthy foods on the menu.

Shona Robison, the public health minister, said: "While it is disappointing to note the high level of sugar intake of children in Scotland, we are actively working on policies to encourage youngsters to make healthier choices.

"These include introducing standards for healthier meals in schools and the free school meals pilot for children in primary one to three."

A Scottish Government education spokeswoman said: "

This government is determined to improve the health of Scotland as a whole and the health of children, particularly in relation to diet, is a priority."

HIDDEN FLAVOURING

SUGAR is added to a wide variety of foods, including those in which it might not be expected in large quantities.

Some breakfast cereals – particularly those aimed at children – and cereal bars have a large quantity of sugar added to give flavour.

Other foods with more added sugar than you might expect include tinned spaghetti and baked beans with tomato sauce.

However, the main culprits remain foods such as fizzy and juice drinks, sweets, biscuits, cakes, pastries, puddings and ice-cream.

To work out whether a food is high in sugar, shoppers should look at the figure given for "carbohydrates (of which sugars)…" in the nutrition information panel.

A high level of sugar is more than 15g of sugars per 100g, while low is 5g sugars or less per 100g.