The British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT) has voiced its concern in light of news that the EU is phasing out protections that have, until now, kept commodity prices high and prevented foreign imports.
It’s forecast that the relaxing of the rules will lead to the wholesale price of sugar dropping substantially, the trebling in production of high fructose corn syrup, and the production of sugars increasing by around 15 per cent within a decade.
The European Common Agricultural Policy reforms in 2013 will, the report’s authors say, almost fully liberalise the sugar market in Europe by 2017 and this, in turn, may increase sugar consumption, particularly among the lowest socioeconomic groups.
Public health will take a hit, they say, “especially as the cheaper cost of sugar will make it even more profitable to add it to processed foods to increase palatability and bulking”.
The authors also foresee more aggressive marketing of foods high in sugar because “these foods will be very profitable – potentially even more so than currently”.
In a response, Fiona Sandom, president of the BADT, said: “This report underlines the need for a government rethink – and redesign – of its policies on public dental health. There already exists huge inequalities in the health of our children – last month’s report by the National Children’s Bureau was alarming in its revelations. For example, while only 18.4 per cent of children living in the 30 richest areas suffer tooth decay, this rises substantially to 31.6 per cent of four to five year olds in the 30 most deprived.
“If the authors of this current report are correct in their predictions, then the government needs to consider the welfare of the poorer sections of our population over and above the financial interests of the food industry.
“There needs to be protective policies in place, which may well include a sugar tax. It is now the responsibility of everyone within dentistry to join forces with other health professionals to campaign vociferously against the disastrous effects of sugar consumption on the population of the UK.”
Last month, the BADT called for a multidisciplinary health summit to tackle the issue of tooth decay. It has started this ball rolling by reaching out to other interested parties with a view to having an ‘open discussion’ on the topic of child health inequalities.
The recommendations for a sugar tax of between 10-20 per cent and a reduction of sugar in everyday food and drink were among the recommendations in Public Health England’s report, ‘Sugar Reduction: The Evidence for Action’, published earlier this month.
Author of the report in the BDJ, Emilie Aguirre, and colleagues from the University of Cambridge, also note that: “It may be necessary for governments to mandate targets for reducing sugar contents of processed foods and implement robust systems for monitoring compliance… it will also be important to monitor food prices, diet, and health to determine the effects the reforms have.”