Half of women fear hidden sugar in their food and drink.

Half of women are worried about hidden sugar in food and drink, putting it just behind price in terms of concerns about the nation’s diet.

Price was the number one issue at 54 per cent, ahead of sugar at 52 per cent and food waste at 51 per cent, according to a study by the government’s Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The findings suggest warnings by health campaigners about sugar and its links to obesity and ill health are making an impact.

For decades, families have been warned about the dangers of eating high fat foods, such as butter, milk and cheese, amid claims that these were fuelling a national obesity epidemic.

However, this advice has been turned on its head by recent studies, which argue these full fat foods were demonised on the basis of flawed evidence.

Attention has now shifted to sugar with some doctors and health campaigners describing it as the ‘new tobacco’.

Earlier this week, health experts launched a campaign claiming that drinking one can of a sugary drink a day over a lifetime increases the risk of dying from heart disease by a third.

They also suggested this level of consumption could lead to weight gain of 6kg – over a stone – in a year, creating a risk of diabetes and other conditions.

More on this story here.

Eddie