Sri Lankans consume 34kg of sugar a year, three times the WHO limit

Average sugar consumption locally is more than three times higher than the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), says Dr. Chandana Gajanayake, a Consultant Dental Surgeon, warning of growing oral health risks.

Dr. Chandana Gajanayake said a person consumes about 34 kilograms of sugar per year on average, compared with the 10 kilograms recommended annually by the WHO.

“The WHO recommends that a healthy person should consume about 10 kilograms of sugar per year, but an average person here consumes around 34 kilograms annually,” Dr Gajanayake said at a media briefing.

He said high sugar consumption contributes to dental diseases, including gum disease.

“If we look at gum disease among adults, the percentage is about 50%. That means one out of every two adults suffers from gum disease,” he said.

Dr Gajanayake made the remarks while addressing a briefing on the fifth National Oral Health Survey, which is scheduled to begin on March 10 and continue until November.

The last national oral health survey was conducted in 2015–2016. The WHO recommends that countries conduct such surveys every 10 years to assess oral health conditions.

According to the previous survey, about 30% of 12-year-old children had tooth decay, compared with nearly 70% recorded during the first national oral health survey conducted in 1982–1983.

The upcoming survey will also focus on children aged five and below, as earlier surveys found that about 63% of children in that age group suffered from tooth decay.

Dr Gajanayake said more than 75% of people use fluoride toothpaste, which he described as a positive trend for dental health.

However, he warned that rising toothpaste prices during the economic crisis led to the return of tooth powder products to the market.

“Tooth powder is harmful because its rough texture can damage teeth,” he said.

source: Newswire