According to the latest figures released by the PHE, children in England have already consumed more than a year’s worth of sugar.
Children aged 4 to 10 years should have no more than the equivalent of 5 to 6 cubes of sugar each day, but are consuming on average 13 cubes. This means they are on track to consume around 4,800 cubes of sugar by the end of the year, more than double the maximum recommendation.
Sugary soft drinks remain one of the main contributors of free sugars to children’s diets, more than ice cream and puddings combined.
PHE is working with the food industry to cut 20% of sugar from the foods children consume most by 2020. Sugar reduction guidelines for juice and milk based drinks outside the scope of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy are to be achieved by mid 2021.