PHE launches campaign to curb children’s sugar intake

By Gwen Ridler

- Last updated on GMT

Parents have been told to ditch unhealthy snacks and fizzy drinks for malt loaf, low sugar yogurts and fruit juices and smoothies
Parents have been told to ditch unhealthy snacks and fizzy drinks for malt loaf, low sugar yogurts and fruit juices and smoothies
Children’s snack consumption should be limited to two 100-calorie products a day, Public Health England (PHE) has urged parents, as it launches a new campaign to promote healthier eating.

PHE’s Change4Life campaign follows research that UK children consume at least three unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, with around a third consuming four or more, said the organisation.

As a result, children are eating three times the recommended amount of sugar.

Buns, cakes and pastries were identified as the worst offenders, contributing to 19.4% of children’s sugar intake from snacks a year. This was followed by biscuits, which contributed 17.1% to sugar intake.

Worst offenders

More than a quarter (26.2%) of the sugar consumed by children in a year came from soft drinks, claimed PHE, of which 13.7% came from juice drinks and drinks with added sugar. Fizzy drinks contributed 8% to total sugar consumed.

Snacks consumed by children

PHE said: “Each year children are consuming almost 400 biscuits; more than 120 cakes, buns and pastries; around 100 portions of sweets; nearly 70 of both chocolate bars and ice creams; washed down with over 150 juice drink pouches and cans of fizzy drink.” 

A full breakdown of the total sugar intake of children in the UK can be found in the box below.

PHE chief nutritionist Dr Alison Tedstone said: “The true extent of children’s snacking habits is greater than the odd biscuit or chocolate bar. Children are having unhealthy snacks throughout the day and parents have told us they’re concerned.

“To make it easier for busy families, we’ve developed a simple rule of thumb to help them move towards healthier snacking – look for 100 calories snacks, two a day max.”

Change4Life will offer parents money-off vouchers to purchase healthier snack options, including malt loaf, lower sugar fromage frais and drinks with no added sugar.

Revise its childhood obesity strategy

Pressure group Action on Sugar (AOS) said the PHE’s findings on children’s daily sugar intake was shocking and urged the government to revise its childhood obesity strategy to help tackle the problem.

AOS chairman Graham MacGregor called for mandatory product reformulation, clear front-of-pack colour coded labelling and a ban on promotions of foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar.

He also called for tighter restrictions on marketing and advertising that could influence children’s food and drink preferences.

“It’s ludicrous that billions of pounds are being spent by food and drink manufacturers on such promotions and publicity which will simply outweigh the benefits of this campaign,” ​said MacGregor.

While parents do have a responsibility to take control of their children’s snacking, so do food and drink manufacturers and the government.”

Meanwhile, a new smartphone app could help people switch to healthier foods​.

Children’s sugar intake

National Diet and National Survey food group

Mean consumption of food/drink g/day

Sugar g /day

Mean consumption of food/drink g/year

Sugar g /year

% contribution to sugar intake from snacks

% contribution to sugar intake from whole diet

Biscuits

15

3.9

5,605

1,408

17.1

7.8

Buns, cakes, pastries

19

4.8

6,923

1,736

19.4

9.5

Icecream

14

2.9

5,070

1,062

11.3

5.8

Savoury snacks

10

0

3,567

7

0.1

0

Sugar confectionery

8

4.4

2,822

1,591

12.2

6.7

Chocolate confectionery

8

3.7

2,740

1,345

13.7

6.7

TOTAL (food)

73

19.6

26,728

7,150

73.8

36.4

Soft drinks

288

9.1

105,352

3,323

26.2

14.7

Of which

 

 

0

0

0

 

Fizzy drinks with added sugar

32

3.5

11,696

1,264

8

5

Other drinks with added sugar

68

5

24,679

1,842

13.7

8.2

TOTAL (food and drink)

362

28.7

132,080

10,473

100

51.2

Related news

Show more

Follow us

Featured Jobs

View more

Webinars

Food Manufacture Podcast

Listen to the Food Manufacture podcast