A recent survey of individually packaged or portioned sweet snacks reveals that a typical combination – such as a cake, a chocolate bar and one or two biscuits consumed over the course of a day can be 1,326 calories and 92.5 grams of sugar. This amount is three times the recommended daily sugar limit for children aged 11+.
The data also shows that 61% of cakes, 63% of chocolate confectionery and 44% of biscuits surveyed equal or exceed one-third (10g) of the daily sugar limit for children aged 11+ per serving.
Action on Salt says the current School Food Standards may be driving children to exceed their daily sugar limits by allowing cakes and biscuits at lunchtime.
The organisation is calling for a ban on such sugary foods that result in children exceeding their maximum daily limit of sugar at school, alongside the creation of healthier local food environments around schools to help young people eat better.
Professor Graham MacGregor, chair of Action on Sugar based at Queen Mary University of London, commented: “Whilst the previous Government’s Sugar Reduction Programme failed due to a lack of meaningful enforcement, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy proved that targeted, well-orchestrated action works.
“This new Government now has a unique opportunity to prioritise the health of the nation by implementing a clear, straightforward approach across the food and drink industry which could save the NHS billions and save many thousands of lives.”