Foodwatch has declared 26 September as ‘Sugar Maximum Day,’ marking the day Dutch children aged four to 11 consumed their entire annual recommended sugar intake, spotlighting the pervasive presence of hidden sugars in everyday foods and the need for stricter regulations.
Foodwatch says Dutch children aged four to 11 had already eaten the amount of sugar the organisation considers acceptable for a whole year by 26 September, a date it has branded “Suikermaxdag”, or Sugar Maximum Day. The campaign is intended to draw attention to childhood obesity and the role that heavily sweetened diets play in the Netherlands, where Foodwatch says excessive sugar intake remains widespread.
The group argues that the problem is not confined to sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks. It says sugar is also common in products many parents may regard as healthier options, including breakfast cereals, fruit juice and biscuits. Foodwatch says manufacturers rely on sugar because it is cheap, improves flavour and can help extend shelf life.
Foodwatch also says labels can make it difficult for families to spot how much sugar a product contains. The organisation says there are around 50 different names for sugar on ingredient lists, including syrup, maltodextrins and concentrates. Nicole van Gemert, Foodwatch’s director, said parents are often blamed for children’s diets even when the sugar content of packaged food is not obvious. The group advises shoppers to check ingredients carefully, noting that they are listed in descending order by weight, so sugar appearing near the top is a warning sign.
The campaign has become a recurring marker for Foodwatch, which has used it in past years to press for tighter rules on food advertising aimed at children. The organisation is also calling for independently set, legally binding upper limits on sugar in food and for a sugar tax. It cites World Health Organisation guidance that free sugars should make up no more than 10% of daily energy intake and says Dutch children aged four to eight consume about 19.5% of their calories from free sugars, almost double the recommendation.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
