Public Health England Requests 20% Sugar Cut for Children's Foods

Responding to Public Health England’s recent announcement that they will be ‘urging’ the food industry to cut 20% of sugar from the main snacks and foods that children eat, Professor Bill Saunders, Dean of the Dental Faculty of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh said:

“The UK has both an obesity crisis and an appalling record in children’s dental health. A third of 11 year olds are overweight and the number of tooth extractions on children aged four and under is on the rise.

Both are highly preventable. However, whilst regular brushing and routine dental visits have an important part to play, the preponderance of sugary foods aimed directly at children clearly carries a heavy burden of blame.

Therefore whilst we welcome PHE's announcement, their plans for England are voluntary. If we really want to improve dental health, then more must be done. The government must now closely monitor how the food industry responds to these suggestions and not allow, for instance, the use of saturated fat in place of sugar.

Similarly, companies must not be allowed to claim that reductions of less than the recommended 20% are a success.”

ENDS

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