Americans consume on average 135 pounds of sugar a year. That is nearly 3 pounds a week! 20 years ago it was half a pound a week. Where is it all coming from? Mostly from processed foods which have grown in use in the same time. Sugar and syrup are hidden in a whole host of food - microwave meals, peanut butter, cornflakes. Even when you can't taste it.

Scots are not far behind. Food Standards Agency Scotland did a survey of the NMES consumption (non-milk extrinsic sugars which is the technical term for sugars added to food and drink). The main sources of sugar in the diets of children living in Scotland are soft drinks, confectionery, biscuits and cakes and on average for Scottish children these foods constitute over 17% of their calorie intake and the trend is upwards. Older children take more of their calories in these foods. For 3 to 7 year olds it is 16% and 12 to 17 year olds it is 19%.

This means that on average we are training our children from a young age to eat a lot of sugary foods so as they get older the habit is well established. By the time they are in their early twenties we could expect them to be worrying about their weight.