Experts propose halving sugar intake

The amount of sugar people have in their daily diets could to be halved under drastic new “political dynamite” measures proposed by global health experts.

The move, which could force Government to choose between medical advice and food industry-linked economic needs, is outlined in leaked draft plans by the UN-linked World Health Organisation.

Details revealed at the weekend said a high-level committee within the Who, the Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group, agreed in recent weeks to the “reduction of free sugars intake to 5% or less of total energy” — the equivalent of just five teaspoons a day.

Current international advice is that free sugars — which are described as any “added to foods by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices” — should not exceed 10% of total energy sources.

While the flagged Who change will not in itself result in an immediate change in Government policy in Ireland, it will put pressure on Health Minister James Reilly to act on the recommendations.

The draft proposal was drawn up in response to a major study on tooth decay in Europe and North America. This document, which led to a previous plan from March to keep the sugar level at 10% being overturned, said the key problem is that “sugary foods and drinks are now staples in many people’s diet, whereas once they were an occasional treat”.

It also warned the public’s increasing dependence on sugar in their diet is impacting on obesity, diabetes and heart disease levels — a claim strongly disputed by the food industry.

Reacting to news of the leak, Philip James, president of the Who-linked International Association for the Study of Obesity, said: “It is political dynamite. The food industry will do everything in their power to undermine this,” he said.

Health Minister James Reilly is likely to view the medical recommendations with interest having already taken part in a battle with the food industry over salt levels and calorie transparency in meals.

He has repeatedly called for restaurants to include exact calorie levels beside their meals on menus, a move the Restaurants Association of Ireland claimed in 2012 would cost the sector €110m a year.

Any new move based on the Who findings is likely to lead to further criticism from the food sector, and potentially cabinet colleagues focussed on economic needs.

However, groups like the Irish Heart Foundation and the Health Research Board have previously called for diet-changing policies to be introduced.

In August, the HRB said changes to salt and sugar levels could prevent 1,000 strokes and heart attacks every year.

The IHF has repeatedly warned that, while the number of heart and stroke deaths in this country has fallen in recent decades, Ireland is still above the EU average for premature fatalities from the conditions.