KUWAIT: Work is currently underway to amend the 2021 school cafeteria food regulations to provide low-sugar foods in schools, officials said Sunday. Speaking to media, Nawal Al-Jazzaf, Head of the School Cafeteria Program, emphasized the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition’s role in educating students, starting from the fifth grade, on the importance of reading food labels and understanding how to calculate sugar content. She added that the authority’s efforts have led to five local companies reducing sugar in their juices by up to 20 percent, while others have replaced added sugar with lactose.

The comments came as the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition launched Sunday a one-week campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of added sugar. The campaign aims to help manufacturers improve their product ingredients, reduce sugar levels, and formulate food policies and standards that adhere to global specifications. The campaign is part of the authority’s participation in the global initiative “World Action on Salt, Sugar and Health.” It will feature a series of events, including an event at Promenade Mall to be held on Thursday and school activities to enhance students’ awareness of the importance of reducing sugar consumption.

Speaking to reporters, Dr Shaimaa Alasfour, Deputy Manager of the authority explained that free sugars are those added to foods or beverages by manufacturers, chefs, or consumers, in addition to natural sugars found in honey, syrups, and juices. Excessive consumption of these sugars leads to increased calorie intake with low nutritional value, negatively affecting public health, especially among children.

Dr Alasfour noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that free sugars account for less than 10 percent of an individual’s total daily energy intake, with a further preference for keeping this below 5 percent for additional health benefits. She added that studies show sugar consumption in many countries in the Middle East region ranges from 9 to 15 percent of total energy intake, increasing the risk of obesity, heart diseases, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay, which is one of the most common health issues among children.

Dr Alasfour emphasized that the authority plays a pivotal role in protecting public health by formulating food policies and standards in line with Gulf and international specifications and raising public awareness about the risks of added sugar and the importance of reducing its consumption. This is done through field visits to schools and educational workshops for students. The authority also collaborates with food manufacturers to develop products with lower sugar levels, contributing to the promotion of community health and the prevention of diseases associated with excessive sugar consumption.

She congratulated the local companies that have succeeded in reducing sugar levels in their products, urging all food manufacturers to commit to lowering sugar levels in their products. She emphasized that protecting public health is a shared responsibility, beginning with educating individuals and continuing with the active role of the private sector. In recognition of these companies’ efforts, an event will be held in collaboration with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce to showcase them as motivational examples, she said. — KUNA