Adults and children should limit their daily intake of sugar to less than 10 percent of their total calories, said the World Health Organization in a “strong recommendation” that “can be adopted as policy in most situations.” In a statement, the director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, Dr. Francesco Branca, said, “We have solid evidence that keeping intake of free sugars to less than 10 percent of total energy intake reduces the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay.”
Worldwide intake of “free” sugars varies greatly. Adults in Spain get 16-17 percent of their calories from sugar, double the rate of adults in Norway. Intake is much higher among children than adults, and there are differences between rural and urban residents, says WHO. It says high sugar consumption is associated with weight increase, and children with the highest rates of consuming sugar sweetened beverages are more likely to be overweight or obese.
By “free” sugar, WHO means sweeteners added to foods and drinks, whether by the manufacturer, a cook or the consumer, and sugar naturally present in honey, syrup, fruit juice and fruit-juice concentrate. “Much of the sugars consumed today are “hidden” in processed foods that are not usually seen as sweets,” says WHO. Its guideline does not apply to sugar contained in fresh fruit and vegetables, or sugar naturally present in milk. There is no evidence of adverse effects from consuming such sugars.
The 49-page WHO guideline, “Sugar intake for adult and children,” is available here. The home page for the Dietary Guidelines, which includes the advisory committee report, is available here.