People unaware of soft drinks sugar content
People underestimate the amount of sugar in
soft drinks, particularly those, which are perceived to be healthy, according
to new research. A Glasgow University study found that while many people
slightly overestimate the amount of sugar in fizzy drinks, they significantly
underestimate sugar levels in milkshakes, smoothies, energy drinks and fruit
juices.
The researchers asked more than 2,000 people
across the UK to estimate how many teaspoons of sugar were in a range of
popular drinks. Pomegranate juice contained nearly 18 more teaspoons of sugar
per container than people estimated, while the amount of sugar in sparkling
orange glucose drink was around seven and a half teaspoons more than they
thought. A chocolate milkshake was estimated to contain six teaspoons of sugar,
but actually contained nearly 14.
People taking part in the study were also
asked to estimate how many non-alcoholic drinks they consumed in an average
week. The findings suggest that the average person in the UK consumes 659g of
sugar a week, and 3,144 calories a week through non-alcoholic drinks. This is
the equivalent of around 450 calories a day, or nearly a quarter of the
recommended daily calories for a woman and a fifth for men, the researchers
said. Half of people who admitted to drinking three or more sugary drinks in a
day said they did not compensate for this by reducing the calorie intake of
their food, while a quarter said they did not take into account the amount of
sugar present in drinks when they were on a diet.
The overconsumption of sugar-sweetened drinks
can increase the risk of obesity, a major risk factor for health conditions
such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease and stroke. Naveed
Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, said:
"What you drink can be as damaging to the body as what you eat and there
is no question that consuming too many sugar-sweetened drinks can greatly
contribute to abdominal obesity and therefore increase your likelihood of
developing health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular
disease.
"Some varieties of drinks such as pure
fruit juices and smoothies which are perceived as 'healthy options' are also
very high in sugar. "For many people struggling with their weight, reducing
their intake of such drinks and replacing with water or diet drinks would be a
sensible first target to help them lessen their calorie intake.” "For
some, this change might seem difficult or impossible as they admit to having a
'sweet tooth'. However, it is now clear that our taste buds can be retrained
over time to enjoy far less sugar in drinks (or no sugar at all).
"But people deserve support and
encouragement to make these changes and the soft drinks industry also has a
role to play here by providing drinks with less sugar or offering cheaper diet
versions."
The Family GP
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