(2) when he expects the Food Standards Agency to consult the public on the next steps in the Saturated Fat and Energy Intake Programme; and whether that consultation will include options for reducing the amount of extrinsic sugar in food and beverages.
The Food Standards Agency has lead responsibility for taking forward the work with industry to reduce consumption of, and levels of, sugar in food, including drinks with added sugar.
This work supports the cross-Government obesity strategy—Healthy Weight Healthy Lives—which encourages industry to reduce the level of sugar in foods to help consumers balance the calories they consume with their needs.
The agency will be publishing its consultation on voluntary recommendations for action by the food industry to reduce levels of saturated fat, added sugar and portion size for key foods and drink within the next couple of months. These recommendations include sugar reductions for soft drinks, which have been part of discussions with the soft drinks industry. A Cabinet Office report on food, published in January 2008, estimated that a reduction in calories from added sugar to within public health recommendations could potentially avert 3,500 deaths per year.
The most recent data in the Health Survey for England showed that the estimated prevalence of obesity among children 2-10 years was 15.4 per cent. in 2007. The NHS Information Centre have indicated that the trend in the prevalence of childhood obesity may have begun to level out over the last two to three years. Confirmation of this change will require at least one more year's data.
The Food Standards Agency's Saturated Fat and Energy Intake Programme encompasses work to reduce consumption of, and levels of, sugar in food and drink. As part of this, the agency will shortly consult on voluntary recommendations for action by the industry to reduce added sugar in soft drinks.
The Government have also launched the Change4Life campaign which provides messages on reducing intake of added sugar.
Further work to limit sugar intake in children is being taken forward by the School Food Trust, e.g. providing healthier foods in vending machines and the introduction of nutrient based standards for school lunches. In addition, Ofcom has restricted the broadcast advertising of foods high in fat, salt, and sugar during children's programmes and programmes of particular appeal to children up to the age of 16.