A kid’s lunchbox can pack in up to 14 teaspoons of sugar, research warns amid childhood obesity epidemic
A CHILD’S lunchbox can contain up to 14 teaspoons of sugar, research warns.
Some popular items added together for lunch would contain three days’ worth of sugar.
It comes as health chiefs warn four in ten kids will be overweight or obese leaving primary school by 2024. NHS guidelines state four to six-year-olds should consume no more than 19g of sugar a day.
But some snacks and drinks can easily add up to 57g, we found.
A pack of Sunny Raisin Yoghurt contains 15.3g, while a Cadbury Curly Wurly chocolate bar is loaded with 13g. A Munch Bunch Double Up Fromage Frais Strawberry & Vanilla has 10.7g, and an Innocent Kids’ Smoothie packs 18g. Louise Payne, of School Health UK, warned excess sugar fuels “obesity, Type-2 diabetes and tooth decay”.
Sunny Raisin said its product is an ideal “occasional treat”. Nestle said its Munch Bunch is a “source of calcium, protein and Vitamin D”.
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Innocent Drinks said “fruit contains sugar, so our drinks do too”.
Cadbury said it plans to bring its kids’ products under 100 calories.
Katharine Jenner, Nutritionist and Campaign Director at Action on Sugar, said: “Many parents would be shocked to hear that they are sending their kids off with over a day’s sugar packed in their lunchbox and it therefore goes without saying that manufactures must provide better options.
“Healthy sounding yogurts can be packed with added sugars, and adding chocolate to (already sweet) dried fruit is completely unnecessary – always go for plain options. Smoothies contain fruit which has been processed and is damaging to teeth whereas water and whole or chopped fruit is the best option.”
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