RSU study researches hidden sugar pandemic and associated health risks

Sugar is found in almost all everyday products – juices, breakfast cereals, yoghurt, even bread. Studies have shown that excessive sugar consumption can lead to major health problems such as tooth decay, excess weight, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

How does sugar affect our health, metabolism and put a strain on the healthcare system? And what can the state do to reduce sugar consumption? This is what researchers at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) have studied in a major public health study.

The study was carried out by Lead Researcher at the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Oral Health and dentist Asst. Prof. Ilze Maldupa, says: ‘The situation is so serious that we can call it a hidden sugar pandemic, as consumers are often misled or not interested in looking into the actual composition of a product, thus giving marketing activities the opportunity to create false perceptions about how healthy different products are. Sugar is present even in products that are labelled “suitable from 6 months”, “preservative-free”, “organic”, “fortified with vitamins and minerals”...’

Anda Ķīvīte-Urtāne, Director of the RSU Institute of Public Health, commented on the results of the study by saying that ‘there is an obesity epidemic in Latvia’. According to her, up to 60% of the adult population and 25% of children are overweight or obese, which in turn is a major risk factor for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other diseases. Ķīvīte-Urtāne also stressed that reducing sugar consumption among the Latvian population would be an effective way of promoting public health in Latvia.

Asst. Prof. Maldupa pointed out that sugar consumption is a burden on the health care system and noted that data showing the negative impact of early sugar consumption on health throughout life. Asst. Prof. Maldupa stressed that if policy decisions were taken to reduce the use of sugar by younger children, the potential benefits for public health, welfare and the economy would be great.

Read more about the study "Cukura lietošanas samazinājuma sagaidāmā ietekme uz sabiedrības veselību un ekonomiku" (The expected impact of sugar reduction on public health and the economy) in Latvian.