§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the dangers to young people's health of regularly drinking carbonated soft drinks. [155440]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 23 February 2004]: Carbonated soft drinks are a major source of added sugars in children's and young people's diets. It is recommended that they should be consumed sparingly, as part of a healthy balanced diet, to minimise the effect of dental caries and to achieve calorie intake compatible with maintenance of healthy weight.
The Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health are in discussion with the vending industry and are taking forward projects to consider approaches in schools to achieve this recommendation.