What are free sugars? Free sugars are sugars that have been added by a food manufacturer, cook or consumer to a food and include those sugars naturally found in fruit juice, honey and syrups. It doesn’t include sugars naturally found in milk, and milk products and intact fruit and veg. For more information, visit: https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2015/07/17/expert-interview- new-sugar-recommendations/

How much sugar can we eat? National guidelines recommend that free or added sugars shouldn't make up more than 5% of the energy (calories) you get from food and drink each day. That's a maximum of 30g of added sugar a day for adults, which is roughly seven sugar cubes. Children should have less – no more than 19g a day for children aged 4 to 6 years old (5 sugar cubes), and no more than 24g (6 sugar cubes) for children aged 7 to 10 years old. How does sugar impact our health? Weight gain and obesity - many foods and drinks that contain added sugars can be high in energy and often have few other nutrients. Eating these foods too often can mean you eat more calories than you need.  Heart disease and type 2 diabetes - being overweight can increase your risk of these health conditions. In particular, drinking lots of sugary drinks has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.  Tooth decay - bacteria in the mouth use sugar from food and drink to produce acids that dissolve and damage the teeth. For more information about how sugar affects health visit http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/sugars.aspx Who is eating the most sugar? Current average intakes in all age groups are at least twice the new sugars recommendation and three times higher in 11 to 18-year olds.

What are the main sources of sugar in our diet? The table below shows the main contributors to sugar intake among different age groups in the UK. Sugary drinks are the biggest source of added sugar for both teenagers and children aged 4-10 years.

Contributors to sugar intake National Diet and Nutrition Survey data (2008-2012)

% contribution to sugar Adults Teenagers Children 4-10 years Children 1½ – 3 years intake

Soft drinks 16 30 17 12

Biscuits 6 7 8 8

Cakes, pastries, buns 7 6 9 6

Puddings 2 2 3 3

Table sugar & preserves 17 8 7 7

Confectionary 9 13 14 12

Fruit juice 8 10 13 14

Alcoholic drinks 10 2 - -

Breakfast cereals 6 6 8 6

Can we still eat sugar as part of a healthy diet? Yes, but we should only eat high sugar foods occasionally, in small amounts. For a healthy, balanced diet, we should get the majority of our calories from other kinds of foods, such as starchy foods and fruits and vegetables.

How about fruit? The sugars found naturally in whole fruit are less likely to cause tooth decay, because the sugars are contained within the structure of the fruit. But when fruit is juiced or blended, the sugars are released. Once released, these sugars can damage teeth, especially if fruit juice is drunk frequently. When fruit is dried, some sugars can be released, and dried fruit has a tendency to stick to teeth.

What do the School Food Standards say? The School Food Standards (2014) state that:  Confectionary must not be provided at any point during the school day  Cakes and biscuits should only be available as part of a school meal  No snacks are provided other than nuts, seeds, fruit or vegetables without added fat, salt, sugar or honey  Healthier drinks must be available: only drinks which are permitted should be served For more information, see School food in England: Departmental advice for governing bodies, revised July 2014 (PDF, 287KB) Can schools ban hidden sugar? Manley Park Primary School in Manchester recently extended its policy regarding snacks and packed lunches and confiscated items often considered to be ‘healthier’ alternatives to sweets and confectionary. These included items such as cereal bars and fruit roll-ups (made from 100% fruit). The school defends their policy saying they take a tough line on processed food and such items contain high levels of ‘hidden sugar’. Some parents have responded negatively to the move claiming this sends pupils mixed messages about healthy food. To read more, see http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/parents-angry-after-healthy- snacks-9431688 What can be done about after school snacks? Pupils may access food and drink on their way to and from school as well as during break times. The council is working to encourage food outlets and shops to support people to make healthier food and drink choices through the Healthy Choice Scheme. Some outlets in Brighton and Hove are already offering no-added sugar soft drinks as alternatives to fizzy drinks served with meals, placing the healthiest drinks at eye level, and adding a 10% levy to their sugary drinks.

What is the Healthy Choice scheme? The Healthy Choice catering scheme is a partnership between the Council and the Food Partnership. Healthy Choice supports and rewards food businesses taking steps to prepare, cook and serve food and drink in a healthier way. Businesses are encouraged to offer small portions of sugary food and drink and promote healthier options to customers through pricing strategies and meal deals. More information can be found at: www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/healthychoice

How can we share how our school is taking action on sugar?  Use #sugarsmartcity to share what your school is doing to take action on sugar.  Tell us what your class thinks about sugar at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2H7G67N For additional support for your school with reducing sugar consumption contact the Public Health Schools Programme [email protected]