UK Govt has reduced the recommended sugar intake to 30G a day

jonnybhoy

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3164107/Eat-no-SEVEN-teaspoons-sugar-day-say-Government-advisers-recommend-slashing-intake-HALF-just-one-Coke.html

What are people's thoughts on that?

jonnybhoy

Here's a link to the report

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/446188/SACN_Carbohydrates_Press_Release_July_2015.PDF

dutchandkiwi

Please note that this concenrs added sugar, not for instance fuitsugars in the whole fruits. And entirely personally, not scientifically speaking and most certainly not generalising. It has been what I have been doing for the last two years or so. I love it, my body loves and I have started to dislike most sweetened stuff (tasting bitter now) and my dentist is very happy too.
FWIW it has been the main change to my diet and as such the primary reason that I lost weight (less calories in)

ExRelaySprinter

Well i only woke up about an hour ago and i've gone over 30g already! Lol
Mind you, i've mostly had Fruit for Breakfast.
But i really can't see myself sticking to recommended 30g, as there are so many things i eat that have "hidden sugar".
For me personally, it would be very hard to cut sugar out of my diet. I wish i was one of those people that could just give it up alltogether.
Alcohol yes, but sugar and fast food.....sadly, not a chance.

999tigger

Unless im misreading the article then the OP's thread title is misleading.

The Department of Health and Food Standards Agency asked SACN to examine the latest evidence on the links between consumption of carbohydrates, sugars, starch and fibre, and a range of health outcomes.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition are just a bunch of government advisors who can offer advice, which is all they have done. It is not the government, nor has the government adopted the recommendations.

So the claim its the UK govt making them is incorrect.
The claim that the government has already adopted the recommendations is also wrong.

The committee and the government are responsible for offering best advice and making policy on public health as a whole. I cant see there being any controversy. People who eat lots of sugar tend to be more obese and develop more medical conditions as a study of the general population is not quite the same as sugar is the direct cause of these conditions for the individual. As pointed out the concern is for added sugar, which for someone who is overweight, is not needed. The excess calories from less nutrient dense sources seems to be an obvious source of where people suffering from obesity can cut back,

jonnybhoy

Doesn't appear to be any way to change the thread title to "has been advised" it should be pointed out that the SACN report is published on the UK Govt's website

This is a list of who is on this advisory body

Professor Paul Haggarty, Head of Nutrition and Epigenetics and Senior Lecturer at Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen

Professor Timothy Key, Deputy Director, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford
Dr David Mela, Science Leader at Unilever R&D Vlaardingen, the Netherlands

Professor Ian Macdonald, Professor of Metabolic Physiology at the University of Nottingham and Director of Research in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Dr Stella Walsh, Consumer representative

Dr Anthony Williams, Reader in Child Nutrition and Consultant in Neonatal Paediatrics, St George’s University of London

Professor Hilary Powers, Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry, Head of Human Nutrition Unit, Deputy Head of Department of Oncology, University of Sheffield

Professor Angus Walls, Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Director of the Edinburgh Dental Institute

Professor Susan Lanham-New, Head of the Nutritional Sciences Division, University of Surrey

Professor Julie Lovegrove, Professor of Human Nutrition, Head of the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition and Deputy Director of the Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, University of Reading

Professor Ian Young, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Centre for Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast
Professor Harry McArdle, Deputy Director of Science and the Director of Academic Affairs at the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen

Ms Gill Fine, Public Health Nutritionist

Professor Monique Raats, Director of the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre at the University of Surrey

Mrs Gemma Paramor, lay representative

So to refer to them as "just a bunch of government advisors who can offer advice" is being a bit disrespectful

yarwell

Eminence based medicine, although Public Health is neither medicine nor science.

They looked at a pile of data and came to a consensus / compromise viewpoint. Their proposal to adopt "free sugars" will probably hit a wall. Another problem is that the UK Govt does not have "competence" over food labelling, that's an EU thing.

I think as a group they believe that people eating sweet crap get fat, and have to try to construct a policy to work against that. In doing so they have to avoid saying that dairy is bad, maintain the health halo around fruit, worship at the altar (or throne ?) of fibre intake and at all costs suggest anything thast migh tincrease our fat intake.

It is also important that they don't say anything that will land them in a judicial review, or appear to be attacking the diet of poor people.

http://www.zoeharcombe.com/2015/07/sacn-report-carbohydrates-health/

helenrosec1

I just calculated how much sugar I've had today, minus fruit and veg and only had 21g of sugar. Quite pleased with that I have to say!!!!!

yarwell

"In its review of the evidence, SACN found that:

• High levels of sugar consumption are associated with a greater risk of tooth decay.
• The higher the proportion of sugars in the diet, the greater the risk of high energy intake.
• Drinking high-sugar beverages results in weight gain and increases in BMI in teenagers and children.
• Consuming too many high-sugar beverages increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

"

Kalikel

I suspect they're talking about added sugars, not sugar from fruit.

This sugar thing is getting out of control. This morning, a woman was asking me some questions about my weight loss. She told me that she doesn't eat carbs, do I? Yes, I do, but I keep breads and pastas to whole grains - I eat lots of fruits and veggies, though.

Then she says she eats veggies, too, just not carbs. She would eat fruit and did, but she stopped because it has too much sugar.

She was serious, too. Veggies, but not carbs. No fruit because of sugar.

It's not just MFP. It's spreading!

They really need to be clear on this sugar business. Added sugars, not fruit!

professionalHobbyist

Before intense cardio sugar is a good fuel. I take in 200 calories of dextrose on long rides.

These things need context. A sedentary person? Maybe they should pass on it. An active or hard exercising person it is a good thing.

It seems that nutrition questions need to be evaluated in activity and health context.

FYI I don't have table sugar in my house. I do have thermogenic energy drinks though. Sugar with a purpose.

Your mileage may vary.

yarwell

Kalikel wrote: »

I suspect they're talking about added sugars, not sugar from fruit.

They are talking "free sugars" - sugars added to foods including honey, fruit juice and some other things I can't remember but are in the link (but sadly not on the food labels).

I see no harm in 2 or 3 portions of fruit per day in a varied diet.

lemurcat12

Kalikel wrote: »

I suspect they're talking about added sugars, not sugar from fruit.

This sugar thing is getting out of control. This morning, a woman was asking me some questions about my weight loss. She told me that she doesn't eat carbs, do I? Yes, I do, but I keep breads and pastas to whole grains - I eat lots of fruits and veggies, though.

Then she says she eats veggies, too, just not carbs. She would eat fruit and did, but she stopped because it has too much sugar.

She was serious, too. Veggies, but not carbs. No fruit because of sugar.

It's not just MFP. It's spreading!

Yes, people seem quite confused by all this. That's why I try to fight it here.

It's basically a lost cause for the moment, though.

I'm sure it will be something new in 5-10 years, though.

lemurcat12

professionalHobbyist wrote: »

It seems that nutrition questions need to be evaluated in activity and health context.

Couldn't agree more.