Dental News - Charity shines spotlight on excessive sugar consumption

Dental Tribune UK

Wed. 28. August 2019

save

RUGBY, UK: Though the April 2018 introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy—otherwise known as the sugar tax—has proved effective in reducing the sugar levels of many carbonated beverages, UK adults and children continue to consume far more of this sweet substance than is generally recommended. The Oral Health Foundation (OHF), a charity that seeks to reduce the burden of oral disease and improve well-being, has found that the British population supports further taxation of high-sugar foods in the form of a “pudding tax”.

The OHF recently conducted a nationwide poll in which 54% of the respondents affirmed their support for an extension of the sugar tax to puddings, cakes, biscuits and other confectionary foods. The proposed tax proved to be particularly resonant among those less than 35 years of age, with 84% of this demographic group agreeing that a pudding tax should be effected.

“The sugar tax has been a significant success, not only for oral health, but wider health and well-being too. In the long term, products with less added sugar will mean a healthier population. It will also save the NHS billions every year,” said Dr Nigel Carter, OBE, Chief Executive of the OHF.

“When it comes to sugar, 10% of a child’s intake comes from soft drinks, but more than twice that comes from puddings, ice cream and sweets. It means that replicating the model into a pudding tax is absolutely necessary,” Carter added.

Scroll down

The findings come on the back of the results of another survey from the OHF, which found that 28% of British adults consume high-sugar or otherwise unhealthy foods when put under stress, a figure that rose to 32% for office workers. In addition, 15% of the respondents stated that they had taken sick leave in the past two years as a direct result of an oral health problem.

“It is important to encourage healthy eating and to develop a more tooth-friendly culture in the workplace,” said Carter. “Snacks such as cheese and nuts are better than sugary treats. Milk and water is a great substitute for juices and fizzy drinks, while reducing the amount of sugar added to tea and coffee can make a big difference. By helping employees look after their oral health, the workforce will not only be healthier, they will be happier too.”

Tags:

To post a reply please login or register

Initiative includes voices of schoolchildren in fight against excessive sugar consumption

MELBOURNE, Australia: A major contributor to quality oral health is awareness and education. With this in mind, the Australian Dental Association (ADA) has ...

Study shines spotlight on oral health of children with autism

DURBAN, South Africa: As the number of reported cases of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to climb across the globe, the special ...

Countries across the world seek to reduce sugar consumption

LEIPZIG, Germany: The global obesity epidemic shows few signs of abating, and numerous countries from different regions have introduced policies aimed at ...

Survey shows sugar consumption increase among children during summer

LONDON, UK: With Britain still recovering from its longest heatwave in five years, parents may be tempted to help keep their children cool by giving them ...

Sugar consumption pushes global dental costs over €12.8 billion

HALLE, Germany: According to a joint study conducted by researchers at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Biotechnology Research ...

Sugary drink taxes decrease consumption of beverages, study finds

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: Increased intake of sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease,...

Interview: "Every high-intensity sport usually involves high sugar consumption"

Sports dentistry is usually considered only to deal with sports injuries and accidents. Naturally, a dental trauma that includes fractures of teeth and ...

Poor water quality may be factor in high consumption of sugary drinks

CANBERRA, Australia: The poor state of Australians’ oral health has received much needed attention over recent years. For some Aboriginal and Torres ...

Sugary beverage consumption in US declining, but high among certain groups

BOSTON, U.S.: Consumption of sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) fell for both children and adults between 2003 and 2014, according to a new ...

Align Technology shines in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, UK: Align Technology, a worldwide market leader in clear aligner treatment, took the opportunity at this year’s British Dental Conference and ...

Education

Live webinar
Fri. 26 April 2024
12:00 pm EST (New York)