Today, FDI held a special session on it’s position on free sugars at the FDI World Dental Congress in Shanghai. China has taken significant steps to address excessive sugar consumption in the country. (Image: FDI World Dental Federation)
In light of rising rates of chronic disease and growing awareness of the health risks associated with excessive sugar consumption, governments around the world are stepping up efforts to promote healthier lifestyles. In this interview with Dental Tribune International, Dr Wu Jing, director of the National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, discusses the importance of policy interventions in reducing free sugar consumption in China. She also outlines key national initiatives, cross-sectoral collaboration and the political commitment driving China’s comprehensive approach to chronic disease prevention.
According to Dr Wu Jing, of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, effective sugar reduction requires cooperation by government, educational bodies and the food industry, among others. (Image: FDI World Dental Federation)
Dr Wu, why are policy interventions essential in tackling excessive free sugar consumption, and what specific policy measures has China implemented or proposed in recent years to address this issue?
Policy interventions enable early disease prevention. Given the substantial number of people in China affected by chronic disease, integrating oral disease into a comprehensive chronic disease prevention and control system—and including sugar reduction in the management of common chronic disease risk factors—enables root cause governance that is cost-effective.
In 2017, the Chinese government launched the Three Reductions and Three Healthy Conditions initiative, a nationwide communication campaign to promote healthy lifestyles. It advocates for reductions in salt, oil and sugar intake, as well as improved oral health, healthy body weight and good bone health.
Since 2010, China has also developed demonstration areas for the comprehensive prevention and control of chronic disease at the county and district levels. The implementation of the Three Reductions and Three Healthy Conditions campaign has become a core evaluation indicator for these areas, significantly increasing local governments’ engagement in sugar reduction efforts.
Reducing sugar consumption is a complex, cross-sectoral task that requires coordination across industries such as food production and education. Policy measures can address challenges that single departments cannot resolve independently. For example, in 2019, the National Health Commission released the Healthy Oral Action Plan (2019–2025), which explicitly emphasises sugar reduction initiatives in schools.
In 2021, the National Health Commission, Ministry of Education, State Administration for Market Regulation and General Administration of Sport of China jointly issued guidelines on school nutrition and health. These prohibit the installation of vending facilities, sale of high-salt, high-sugar, high-fat foods or alcoholic beverages, and advertising of sugary drinks, instant noodles or snacks at primary and secondary schools. Since the policy came into effect, most schools have removed on-site stores, significantly reducing students’ exposure to high-sugar products. As a result, schools have become insulated environments largely free from high-sugar foods.
“Controlling sugar at the source is essential.”
Policy interventions also influence manufacturers and retailers in ways that general educational campaigns cannot. Even with effective health communication, the mass production and widespread availability of high-sugar products continues to undermine reduction efforts. Controlling sugar at the source is essential. In Shanghai, for instance, the local government encourages food producers to manufacture low-salt, low-fat and low-sugar products with clear labelling, retailers are encouraged to provide dedicated shelves for such products and catering services are urged to offer healthier options and to provide clear calorie and nutritional information.
Have you observed measurable outcomes—such as reductions in sugar-related health conditions or hospital admissions—that demonstrate the effectiveness of these policy efforts in China or comparable settings?
China is actively exploring and developing sugar control policies, although data on their health outcomes remains limited. However, several recent domestic studies have used modelling to evaluate their potential impact.
A simulation by Tsinghua University in Beijing, based on household consumption data from 31 provinces from 2000 to 2015, estimated that a 20% consumption tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could reduce intake by around 29% among low-income households. Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, using a willingness-to-pay survey and ten-year simulation, projected that a 10% tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could reduce cases of overweight or obesity by approximately 1,533 per 100,000 people and of Type 2 diabetes by about 267 per 100,000 people by its sixth year of implementation.
To what extent is there political and institutional support in China for implementing and scaling up sugar reduction policies, and what factors are critical to maintaining this momentum?
The Chinese government places strong emphasis on public health, positioning it as a strategic priority for national development. In 2016, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the state council jointly released the Healthy China 2030 plan, which calls for health promotion to be integrated across the entire public policy process, offering political support and guarantees for related initiatives.
This was followed in 2019 by the Healthy China Action Plan (2019–2030), which outlines 15 targeted initiatives. Within this, the Balanced Diet Action sets a goal of limiting per capita intake of daily added sugar to no more than 25 g and outlines a road map for achieving this. Although relatively new, China’s sugar reduction measures benefit from robust policy and institutional backing. The commitment of the party and government to public health is key to sustaining and expanding sugar reduction efforts.
One illustrative case is the salt reduction programme implemented in Shandong province to combat hypertension. From 2011 to 2016, salt intake among residents declined from 13.6 g to 10.2 g per day—a 25% reduction. This successful model offers valuable lessons for sugar reduction. As the Three Reductions and Three Healthy Conditions initiative continues to be implemented, China’s sugar reduction efforts are expected to deepen and lead to substantial improvements in public health.
Editorial note:
More information about the 2025 FDI World Dental Congress can be found here. More information the FDI Position on Free Sugars, whchi was adopted by the FDI General Assembly during the FDI World Dental Congress in Sydney in Australia in September 2023, can be found at fdiworlddental.org/sugar.
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