Nestlé to focus on reducing sugar programm in its products

A report released by the Maltese Presidency and the European Commission on Wednesday says that childhood obesity should be tackled at an early stage and that schools can play a positive role in encouraging healthy eating habits.

“Considering the amount of time that children spend at school, as well as the fact that in many European countries students consume at least one daily main meal there, schools are an ideal environment for supporting healthy behaviours,” the report states.

Childhood obesity in Europe is increasing: in 2010, about one in three European children between the ages of six and nine were overweight or obese, while 2008 estimates were only about one in four.

In the meantime, multinational Nestlé has said it will remove at least 18,000 tonnes of sugar from the products it sells in Europe by 2020, which would result in 5% less sugar in its European market.

The company said the sugar reduction goal is in support of action plans by the European Commission and member states to promote health and reduce obesity.

“When one in three children is overweight or obese, it is clear that we have to do more to offer them healthier choices and help promote an active lifestyle,” said Marco Settembri, executive vice president of Nestlé.

Last month, swiss company committed to reduce sugar in its Nesquik product as part of a pledge to reduce sugar across its portfolio. And that may happen in a dynamic way. Last last year, Nestle said it found a scientific breakthrough that will allow for further sugar reduction without impacting taste. The company told media it was in the process of patenting a hollow and faster-dissolving sugar that could allow a 40% reduction in products. Details were scarce, but the manufacturer expected it to be used in its confectionery products by 2018.

According to OECD data, worldwide, obesity is the fifth leading cause of death. Estimates show that 42 million infants and young children are obese, with another 70 million overweight.

According to the 2014-2020 EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity, “7% of national health budgets across the EU are spent on diseases linked to obesity each year,” and about 2.8 million deaths each year in the EU are from causes associated with obesity.

Other big companies such as Mars and Mondelez are studying alternative measures as to cut down the size of their chocolate. Representatives from these companies have stated that they will always support the sugar reduction program and looks forward to partnering with Public Health England.

Mondelez has reported that they have already done portion control in some of their products, with some chocolate bars only having 250kcal, and even offering some sugar-free sweets.