Too much sugar not enough exercise

Two out of three people in the U.S. are overweight and one out of three is obese, and the rest of the world is not far behind.

Sugar hit the headlines last week when the Daily Mail and The Independent led with the quote “Sugar is the new tobacco”focused on a reported link between high sugar consumption and the rise in obesity and diabetes.

The reports stem from the newly formed campaign group Action on Sugar, whose well-timed press release coincides with New Year's resolutions and January diet crazes.

Action on Sugar warns that as well as 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”.

In a separate story, several newspapers also highlighted an expert's perhaps surprising opinion that fruit juice contains so much sugar that it should no longer count as one of the 5 A DAY portions of fruit and vegetables.

It stresses the importance of protecting children from this “public health hazard” and calls for the food industry 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”.

Professor Capewell said: “Sugar is the new tobacco. Everywhere, sugary drinks and junk foods are now pressed on unsuspecting parents and children by a cynical industry focused on profit not health.”

Many foods that contain added sugars also contain lots of calories, but often have few other nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins and minerals. Eating too many of these foods often can contribute to you becoming overweight.

How much sugar can we safely eat?

Sugar is added to many foods such as sweets, chocolate, cakes and some fizzy and juice drinks, often in surprisingly large quantities (sometimes this added sugar is in the form of honey or fruit juice). For example, a can of cola drink has as much as 35g of added sugar in it (the equivalent of about seven sugar cubes).

The government recommends that added sugars shouldn’t make up more than 10% of the energy (calorie intake) you get from food and drink each day. This is a maximum of around 70g for men and 50g for women but it varies depending on your size, your age and how active you are.