Nottingham North MP Calls for Action on Sugar Consumption
Nottingham North MP Graham Allen has called for action on sugar consumption to tackle soaring rates of decay among children and additional health problems such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Mr Allen said the government has ignored warnings from health experts and now is the time to act before the public health problems spiral out of control. The latest statistics show that thousands of children are treated in hospitals across the UK every year from preventable decay.
Rates of dental decay and obesity are high in Nottingham North, with around 30 percent of children classed as obese in the region. Research also suggests that the average child consumes up to three times the daily recommended intake of sugar, a major contributing factor to both obesity and tooth decay.
Mr Allen believes that targeting sugar intake would help to improve standards of general health in the constituency and reduce the prevalence of preventable illnesses. He also stressed the importance of education campaigns and access to NHS services for children, emphasising the benefits of a new outer estates programme that promotes free dental checks for three-year-olds.
The government is currently working on measures to reduce sugar consumption, such as the launch of a new Sugar Smart app. Also, many public health experts and organisations have called for a sugar tax.
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