How much sugar is too much sugar?
A new study published in the journal Obesity has shown that proposed changes in the ‘Nutrition Facts’ label on food will help people understand how much sugar they are consuming. The Canadian study aimed to test the efficacy of formats for labelling on food, showing the total and added sugar. The researchers conducted studies on 2,000 16-24 year olds and found that adding a percentage daily value for added sugar helped them identify foods with ‘too much’ sugar in.
At first these young people found it difficult to correctly identify foods high in sugar, but with added labels and percentage values they understood more and felt that they would be less inclined to consume those foods high in sugar. The study highlights the fact that whilst it is important to research the different types of treatment for obesity, we must not forget that prevention is better than a cure and that obesity can be stopped by even the simplest of measures.
