Abstract
Public Health England has set a definition for free sugars in the UK in order to estimate intakes of free sugars in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. This follows the recommendation from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition in its 2015 report on Carbohydrates and Health that a definition of free sugars should be adopted. The definition of free sugars includes: all added sugars in any form; all sugars naturally present in fruit and vegetable juices, purées and pastes and similar products in which the structure has been broken down; all sugars in drinks (except for dairy-based drinks); and lactose and galactose added as ingredients. The sugars naturally present in milk and dairy products, fresh and most types of processed fruit and vegetables and in cereal grains, nuts and seeds are excluded from the definition.
Highlights
Public Health England has set a definition for free sugars in the UK in order to estimate intakes of free sugars in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) is the key data source used in the UK to monitor the diet and nutrition of the population in relation to recommendations and to provide the evidence base for development of policy at national level
It is based on: 1. the original definition set out by Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) in its report on Carbohydrates and Health(1); 2. further advice provided by SACN to Public Health England in 2016 on how the sugars naturally present in different types of processed fruit and vegetables should be classified with respect to free sugars(4); and
Summary
In its 2015 report on Carbohydrates and Health(1), the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommended that a definition of ‘free sugars’ should be adopted in the UK for public health nutrition purposes, the concept replacing ‘non-milk extrinsic sugars’ on which sugar intake recommendations had been based for the last 25 years(2). Free sugars as described by SACN comprise: ‘All monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices Under this definition, lactose (the sugar in milk) when naturally present in milk and milk products and the sugars contained within the cellular structure of foods are excluded’. Public Health England’s definition of free sugars meets the need for a practical definition which can be readily applied to NDNS food codes using information available on product labels and which does not rely on detailed product specifications. Further details of the definition and the rationale for inclusions and exclusions are given below
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
