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Action on Sugar

Comment: Chief Medical Officer publishes annual report on state of the public’s health

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Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies released the annual report on state of the public’s health saying:

"I call on manufacturers to ramp up reformulation of products to use less added sugar. If voluntary efforts fail to deliver then we, as a society, may need to consider the public health benefits that could be derived from regulation such as a ‘sugar tax’.

"I am pleased that some progress has been made on a voluntary basis in product reformulation for salt reduction (though there is still much further to go)."

Science Director for Action on Sugar, Dr Aseem Malhotra, "Excess sugar consumption is a major contributor to diet related disease which is already placing huge demands on an NHS which is close to the brink. Reduction in population smoking had a dramatic impact in reducing cardiovascular deaths- brought about by addressing the affordability, availability and acceptability of Tobacco. Introducing a sugar tax will be a massive step forward improving the populations health, even within a relatively short time period."

Campaign Director for Action on Sugar, Katharine Jenner says, "It high time the government admitted that the Responsibility Deal, with its voluntary measures, does not go anywhere near far enough to stop the obesity epidemic. Without further delay, the Department of Health must set limits for the unnecessarily high amounts of sugar that is currently allowed to be hidden in our food and drink – sugar is not just added to fizzy drinks and cakes, but to sauces, ready meals, flavoured yoghurts, breakfast cereals and more."

 

 

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