The WHO, World Health Organization, proposes to reduce sugar consumption below 5 percent of daily caloric intake. The new threshold is half of what was set in the 2002 Healthy Eating Guidelines. And while it does not replace the previous advice, it is listed as providing additional health benefits.
Suggesting the drastic downsizing of sugar consumption are two scientific studies, WHO states. A review published in BMJ highlights the direct relationship between sugar consumption, from sugar-sweetened beverages especially, and increased body weight. In contrast, another study published in the Journal of Dental Research shows sugar’s role in the formation of dental caries is less frequent when consumption is reduced below 5 percent.
The WHO proposal, subject to public consultation until March 31, 2014, has already triggered various comments. For GIFT, Giorgio Donegani, president of Food Education Italy, the Italian Foundation for Food Education, as well as a member of the technical scientific committee EXPO-Scuola2015 of MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research), spoke.
