SUGAR RELATED HEALTH RISKS

High consumption of free sugars is a health concern because of the association with poor quality diet, obesity, tooth decay and the risk of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes.

Overweight and obesity

According to the World Health Organisation, globally there are around 2 billion adults overweight, of those 768 million are affected by obesity. If current trends continue it is estimated that 2.7 billion adults will be overweight and 1.1 billion considered obese by 2025.

Overweight and obesity are associated with mental health problems, reduced quality of life and are major risk factors for many chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Excessive sugar intake has been linked to weight gain and obesity, as consuming food and drink high in free sugars provides a major and unnecessary source of calories with minimal nutritional value.

Sugar and tooth decay

Tooth decay occurs when sugar interacts with the bacteria within the plaque to produce acid, the acid dissolves the

enamel and dentine of teeth creating holes or cavities.

Individuals whose diet consists of high levels of free sugars, have a higher risk of tooth decay, particularly if the food they eat is sticky or consumed in between mealtimes. Tooth decay is a significant and growing problem for children and adolescents as they have become accustomed to sugar at an early age.

Simple steps to reduce tooth decay:

• Brush teeth twice a day and floss once a day

• Eat less foods and drinks which are high in added sugar

• Reduce acid production by cutting down on snacking

• Do not eat sugary foods between meals

Sugar and diabetes

Currently it is estimated that 1 in 11 adults (415 million people) have diabetes, although approximately 46% of people with diabetes are thought to be undiagnosed. By 2040, it is expected that over 640 million of the world’s adult population may be living with the disease.

Diabetes is a chronic disease which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.

There are several types of diabetes.

Type 2, which results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin, is the most common and is largely caused by excess weight and physical inactivity. As regular consumption of foods and drinks which are high in sugar is linked with weight gain, sugar is a contributory factor in type 2 diabetes.

Although in many cases type 2 diabetes is preventable, it remains the leading cause of diabetes-related complications such as blindness, non-traumatic amputations, and chronic kidney failure requiring dialysis.

Do you add some sugar in your coffee or tea ?

DID YOU KNOW:

A can of cola contains more than 9 teaspoons of sugar