The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has produced a new policy on sugary drinks entitled Interventions Which Reduce the Consumption of Energy from Sugary Drinks in Children.
The British Dietetic Association, founded in 1936, is the professional association for dietitians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the nation's largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals with 8,000 members. The BDA is also an active trade union.
The new policy clearly identifies that we are consuming too much added sugar in the nation's diet, especially in those aged between four and 18 years of age, and calls for:
- A range of public policies to reduce the frequency and amount of sugary drinks consumed by children and adolescents.
- The principle of a tax on sugary drinks as part of a range of measures that will be essential to reduce obesity and improve diet.
- School based education programmes as an example of interventions which may offer health professionals the best opportunities for implementing cost effective and sustainable interventions which are effective in children and adolescents.
Speaking about the BDA Sugary Drinks policy, Amanda Avery, who is dietitian that specialises in obesity management, commented:
"All the credible evidence highlights that, as a nation, we are consuming too much sugar in our diet. In addition, the current recommendation from The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is for the current daily amount of recommended sugar to be significantly reduced.
"In particular, it is clear that children and young people are taking in the greatest amount of sugar and this trend is on the up. It is time that we addressed this issue in a clear and concerted way and the BDA is calling on a collective approach to help curb the sweet tooth on the nation."