Calls for urgent review into sugar levels in breakfast cereals

The new report from Action on Sugar shows that some breakfast cereals in the UK have dangerously high levels of sugar, particularly some breakfast cereals marketed towards children. A typical serving (30g) of some contain a third of a four to six year old’s maximum daily recommended intake (five teaspoons of sugar).

The Oral Health Foundation is supporting calls for food manufacturers to follow the success of their salt reduction programme by setting sugar targets for different categories of food and drink with immediate effect. The charity says the move will help to reduce sugar consumption, preventing tooth decay, as well as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, Nigel Carter OBE, said, “This report is incredibly eye opening; far too many people are starting their day with a huge dose of sugar which is putting their health at major risk. Many will be unaware of the dangerous levels of sugar in some of these breakfast cereals and the manufacturers have a responsibility to alter their products to protect consumers from harm.