Thursday 12 March 2015

"Sugar is the new tobacco"


Although most of my posts have included sugar in a jovial manner, it is important to highlight the real health risks that sugar poses in our everyday lives. 
In an NHS article, "Is sugar causing the obesity 'epidemic'?" (January 2014), it is recognised that there is a link between "high sugar consumption and the rise in obesity and diabetes". 


Professor Simon Capewell, of the University of Liverpool, stated that "sugar is the new tobacco. Everywhere, sugary drinks and junk foods are now pressed on unsuspecting parents and children...". Nonetheless, as the NHS body point out, there is more than one variable to consider in the contribution to Britain's obesity "problem". 

Government campaigns, such as the Change4Life campaign encourage the public to cut the amount of sugar in their diets, and opting for sugar-free or reduced sugar varieties instead. 

As with the books we've looked at in this blog, sugar can be dangerous and deceptive. The witch in Hansel and Gretel uses her sugar house to tempt the children in, and the sugary treats in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, allows us to see the risks of gluttony. 

If you're interested in the NHS article, follow the link below.

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