Public Health England ( PHE) has published its second-year report on progress made by the food industry to voluntarily reduce sugar in everyday foods. a 28.8% sugar reduction per 100ml in retailer own brand and manufacturer branded products and a 27.2% reduction per 100ml for drinks consumed out of home Colour-coded labelling makes it easy to see at a glance if a product is high (red), medium (amber) or low (green) in certain nutrients including sugars. The amount of these nutrients in grams per serving is also stated. Products which are green can be eaten freely and amber products are usually fine but you should try to avoid the products with a red traffic light. Step 1 – Calculate amount of sugars per gram by dividing the amount of sugars per 100g OR 100ml by 100. It is important to remember that the colour-coded labelling for sugary drinks is slightly different to the labelling for foods.

Reference Intakes (RIs) are general guidelines for the amount of certain nutrients that you should not be exceeding in a day. Products using this system will state the percentage each nutrient contributes to the total RI for that nutrient. Remember the RI for sugars is a maximum of the total daily intake and not of the recommended maximum for free sugars (30g). If you’re buying for children remember that the RIs for children are far lower than for adults. The report also looks at progress made under the Soft Drinks Industry Levy ( SDIL). The data shows: Find out which drinks are healthier choices, and how to get enough fluids every day to stay hydrated. The Eatwell Guide recommends that people should aim to drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.

Wine

Water is a healthy and cheap choice to keep you hydrated, but other drinks can also count towards your fluid intake. We also get some fluids from the foods we eat. Get to know your habits and why you drink. This helps shift your mindset and prioritises the occasions you actually want a drink. This nips common 'binge drinking' in the bud. This also reclaims the time lost to over-consumption and allows you time to discover new activities and leaves you in an overall brighter mood. We are confident that the industry as a whole understands their responsibility to step up and deliver for children and their families. The report shows the sugar reduction achieved by retailers and manufacturers (in home sector) and the out of home sector (including restaurants, pubs and cafes) in foods contributing the most sugar to children’s diets, such as cakes, breakfast cereals and sweets.

Children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks, squash and juice drinks completely. Children who drink a lot of sugary drinks are more likely to become overweight. The added sugar in these drinks can also damage teeth. Make a joint plan with a friend(s) to reduce intake so you don't feel added pressure when socialising.However, some food categories have shown greater progress. Retailer own brand and manufacturer branded yogurts and fromage frais, and breakfast cereals have reduced sugar by 10.3% and 8.5% respectively.

A third of children leave primary school overweight or obese, while severe obesity in Year 6 children has now reached an all-time high. tonnes of sugar were removed without reducing soft drink sales, resulting in around 37.5 billion fewer kilocalories sold in sugary drinks each year The best drinks to give children are water and milk. Children should drink whole milk until they're 2 years old. for the out of home sector, based on more limited data, there is a 4.9% reduction (simple average sugar per 100g) for retailers and manufacturers, there is an overall 2.9% reduction (sales weighted average sugar per 100g) since 2015

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We are seeing some encouraging progress from the food industry. Our second year report shows some food categories reducing sugar faster than others but this is realistic at this early stage. To ensure drinking doesn't get out of control, you can stay safe by eating a balanced meal beforehand and alternating alcohol with water for essential hydration and soft drinks. If you feel pressured by getting a drink 'for the sake of it,' why not try alcohol-free drinks to quench your thirst. This way, you can enjoy socialising without compensating with many glasses of alcohol. When looking at simple average sugar levels, data suggests that the out of home sector has made more progress; however direct comparisons should not be made due to the data available.