NHS to have 10 per cent limit on sugary drinks sold in hospitals to curb Britain’s obesity crisis
Hospitals will impose a limit on sweetened drinks to help slash the sugar intake of patients, visitors and staff
ONLY one in ten drinks sold in English hospitals will have added sugar — as part of the NHS’s bid to curb obesity.
Efforts to restrict sales of sweetened drinks could help patients, visitors and staff cut down their sugar intake, NHS England said.
It is estimated that more than half of health service workers in England are overweight or obese.
NHS England said all 227 trusts have pledged to reduce sugar-sweetened drinks to ten per cent or less of total sales.
Trusts already participating have seen the proportion of drinks that contain added sugar fall to just 7.4 per cent.
The body said 23 trusts and two retailers have decided to stop selling sugary drinks altogether.
Trusts have already been incentivised to limit the amount of confectionery sold in hospitals.
NHS England boss Simon Stevens said all hospitals were now “answering this important call to action”.
He added: “Obesity and its associated dangers is a worrying challenge and it is crucial — as we draw up a long-term plan for the future of the NHS — that we act to avoid a long list of preventable problems.”
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