#SugarRush brings attention to the growing crisis thanks to Jamie Oliver’s efforts

Here’s a statistic to make you sit up and think…

Last year 26,000 children were admitted to hospital because of tooth decay caused by sugar. Not only does this having lasting effects on the children’s health and wellbeing but it puts a huge strain on a health service that’s already under pressure with sugar is the biggest source of children ending up in hospital in the UK.Jamie Oliver has drawn the nation’s eye to the growing crisis in Sugar Rush his latest show that aired last week. He rightly points out that our reliance on sugar and excessive consumption of it doesn’t just affect our oral health but has severe consequences on our general health. One in three children will leave primary school as either overweight or obese. Alongside this, rates of Type 2 diabetes have increased 60% over the last decade.The recommended maximum daily intake of sugar from the World Health Organisation is 15 teaspoons a day, around about 60 grams. However in a recent report the government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommend this amount be slashed to 7 teaspoons of sugar per day, or 28 grams.In the UK, many of us are consuming a whopping 40 teaspoons of sugar today, nearly 6 times the recommended amount. It’s not hard to see why there’s a problem.Tax on sugary drinksThe programme has struck a chord with more than 100,000 people already signing Jamie Oliver’s petition to introduce a tax on sugary drinks of which the money raised will be invested in improving health of the nation’s children. You can find out more about the initiative here as well as links to signing the petition and tips on how you can reduce your sugar intake.Keep checking into our blog for other ways you can improve your health through better wellbeing including our own tips for avoiding sugar-filled food and drinks.