§ Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the widespread concern both about supplies of sugar and the incidence of obesity, she will consult nutritional experts about the amount of sugar required in the diet of broad categories of the population.
§ Dr. OwenNutritionally sugar is not required in the diet of the population. Sugar is a source of energy—calories—only and this can be better obtained from other carbohydrate foods—cereals, fruits,178W vegetables, etc.—because such foods contain other essential nutrients.
One of the recommendations in the report of the Advisory Panel of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy on Diet in relation to Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease published earlier this year was
that the consumption of sucrose (cane sugar or beet sugar), as such or in foods and drinks, should be reduced, if only to diminish the risk of obesity and its possible sequaelae".