The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched its ‘Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children’. It retains the proposal from the previous Guideline (2002) that sugars should make up less than 10% of total energy intake per day. However, it further suggests that a reduction to below 5%, or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons), of total energy intake per day would provide additional health benefits. In the launch brief, WHO noted that much of the sugars consumed today are “hidden” in processed foods that are not usually seen as sweets. For example, 1 tablespoon of ketchup contains around 4 grams (around 1 teaspoon) of sugars. A single can of sugar-sweetened soda contains up to 40 grams (around 10 teaspoons) of sugar.

As FDI reported; World Dental Federation made a very positive contribution to the development of the new Guideline by insisting in public statements to WHO Member States and in private conversations with WHO representatives over the years on the imperative of including ‘dental caries’, and not just obesity, in the sugar debate.

Furthermore, in its response to the public consultation on the new Guideline, launched in March 2014, FDI provided not only a forceful case in favour of far more restrictive recommendations on sugars intake than in previous WHO Guidelines, but also referenced further evidence on the impact of sugars on dental caries to support its case.

FDI also used its response to reiterate that oral diseases are an integral component of the global noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden. Oral health is a fundamental human right and should receive a proper recognition in the implementation of the NCD Action Plan and in WHO future plans to fight the burden of NCDs

According to Dr Francesco Branca, Director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition for Health and Development: "We have solid evidence that keeping intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake reduces the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay. Making policy changes to support this will be key if countries are to live up to their commitments to reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases."

The 'WHO Guideline on Sugars intake for adults and children' will be a key subject of debate during this year’s World Oral Health Forum. It is scheduled to take place during the 2015 FDI Annual World Dental Congress (AWDC), to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 22 to 25 September 2015.

To read the Guideline, please click here.

News Source: FDI, WHO

Dr. Shima Naghavi, Director of International Affairs