Health

UN: World Eating Too Much Sugar; Cut to 5-10 Percent of Diet

Published

11 years ago

March 4, 2015

In this Dec. 18, 2001 file photo, an orange juice company employee works at a plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico. New guidelines published by the World Health Organization on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 say the world is eating too much sugar and people should slash their sugar intake to just 5 to 10 percent of their overall calories. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

MARIA CHENG, AP Medical Writer

LONDON (AP) — New guidelines from the World Health Organization are enough to kill anyone’s sugar high. The U.N. health agency says the world is eating too much sugar and people should slash their intake to just six to 12 teaspoons per day — an amount that could be exceeded with a single can of soda.

So, put down that doughnut. And while you’re at it, skip the breakfast cereal, fruit juice, beer and ketchup.

The guidelines, released Wednesday, finalize draft advice first released last year and are focused on the added sugars in processed food, as well as those in honey, syrups and fruit juices. The advice does not apply to naturally occurring sugars in fruit, vegetables and milk, since those come with essential nutrients.

“We have solid evidence that keeping intake of (added) sugars to less than 10 percent of total energy intake reduces the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay,” Francesco Branca, director of WHO’s nutrition department, said in a statement.

Experts have long railed about the dangers of sugar and studies suggest that people who eat large amounts of the sweet stuff are at higher risk of dying prematurely from heart problems, diabetes and cancer, among other conditions.

To meet the lower threshold set by the new guidelines, Americans, Europeans and others in the West would have to slash their average sugar intake by about two-thirds.

Americans get about 13 percent of their calories from added sugar, or 268 calories a day, the equivalent of about 18 teaspoons. One teaspoon of sugar is about 15 calories. In Europe, sugar intake ranges from about 7 percent in Hungary and Norway, to 17 percent in Britain to nearly 25 percent in Portugal.

Some experts said the 10 percent target was more realistic for Western countries than the lower target. They said the 5 percent of daily calories figure was aimed mostly at developing countries, where dental hygiene isn’t good enough to prevent cavities, which can lead to serious health problems.

Last month, a U.S. government advisory committee recommended that sugar be limited to 10 percent of daily calories, marking the first time the U.S. has called for a limit on added sugars. The Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments will take those recommendations into account when writing the final guidelines, due by the end of the year.

WHO had previously suggested an upper limit for sugar consumption of around 10 percent, but issued the 5 percent guidance based on the presumed additional health benefits from cutting intake even further, though it said it had no solid evidence to support that.

“To get down to 5 percent, you wouldn’t even be allowed to have orange juice,” said Tom Sanders, a professor of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London who wasn’t part of the WHO guidelines.

He said it shouldn’t be that difficult for most Europeans, Americans and others in the developed world to get their sugar intake to 10 percent of their diet if they limit things like sugary drinks, cereals, beer, cookies and candy.

“Cake is lovely, but it’s a treat,” Sanders said.

The Sugar Association slammed the new recommendations, arguing the advice was based on “poor quality, weak and inconsistent data.” It noted WHO itself acknowledged the evidence for the 5 percent target was “very low quality.”

The International Council of Beverages Associations echoed those concerns and said beverage makers can help people cut back on sugar through smaller portion sizes, as well as no- and low-calorie drinks and providing nutritional information on labels.

Coca-Cola, for example, has been more aggressively marketing its “mini cans” and has launched a reduced-calorie version of its namesake soda called Coca-Cola Life that’s sweetened with a mix of sugar and stevia, a natural sweetener. Companies have also been working on new technologies to reduce sugar. Senomyx, based in California, makes ingredients that interact with taste receptors to block or amplify sweetness. They have no taste or smell and are listed as artificial flavors.

Last year, the U.S. proposed new nutrition labels that would be required to list any sugars added by manufacturers.

Sugar is just one of a number of ingredients that have come under attack, such as salt and trans fat. However, WHO pointed out that when it comes to sugar, most people don’t realize how much they’re eating because it’s often hidden in processed foods not considered sweet. For example, one tablespoon of ketchup has about 4 grams (1 teaspoon) of sugar and a single can of soda has up to 40 grams (10 teaspoons).

“The trouble is, we really do like sugar in a lot of things,” said Kieran Clarke of the University of Oxford, who said the global taste for sugar bordered on an addiction. “Even if you are not just eating lollies and candy, you are probably eating a fair amount of sugar.”

Clarke noted that there’s added sugar even in pasta sauces and bran cereals. She said fruit juices and smoothies were common dietary offenders, because they have very concentrated amounts of sugar without the fiber benefits that come with eating the actual fruit.

Clarke welcomed the new WHO guidelines but said people should also consider getting more exercise to balance out their sweet tooths.

“If you do enough exercise, you can eat almost anything,” she said. “But it’s very hard to avoid large amounts of sugar unless all you’re eating is fruits and vegetables.”

___

Associated Press writers Candice Choi in New York and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Online:

WHO’s sugar guidelines

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/149782/1/9789241549028_eng.pdf

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Essay: Intentional Self Care and Community Connections Can Improve Our Wellbeing

At the deepest and also most expansive level of reality, we are all part of the same being, our bodies made from the minerals of the earth, our spirits infused by the spiritual breath that animates the universe. Willingness to move more deeply into fear and pain is the first step toward moving into a larger consciousness. Willingness to move beyond the delusion of our separateness can show us new ways of working and living together.

Published

1 month ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

Lorraine Bonner is a retired physician. She is also a sculptor who works in clay, exploring issues of trust, trustworthiness and exploitation, as well as visions of a better world.

By Dr. Lorraine Bonner, Special to California Black Media Partners

I went to a medical school that was steeped in the principles of classical Western medicine. However, I also learned mindfulness meditation during that time, which opened me to the multifaceted relationship between illnesses and the interconnecting environmental, mental and emotional realities that can impact an individual’s health.

Therefore, when I began to practice medicine, I also pursued training in hypnosis, relaxation techniques, meditation, and guided imagery, to bring a mind-body focus to my work in medical care and prevention.

The people I saw in my practice had a mix of problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and a variety of pain issues. I taught almost everyone relaxation breathing and made some general relaxation tapes. To anyone willing, I offered guided imagery.

“My work embraced an approach to wellness I call “Liberatory Health” — one that not only addresses the treatment and management of disease symptoms but also seeks to dismantle the conditions that make people sick in the first place.”

From my perspective, illness is only the outermost manifestation of our efforts to cope, often fueled by addictions such as sugar, tobacco, or alcohol, shackled by an individualistic cult belief that we have only ourselves to blame for our suffering.

To put these ideas into practical form, I would quote the immortal Mr. Rogers: “Find the helpers.” There are already people in every community working for liberation. Some of them are running for office, others are giving food to those who need it. Some are volunteering in schools, libraries or hospitals. Some are studying liberation movements, or are working in urban or community gardens, or learning to practice restorative and transformative justice, or creating liberation art, music, dance, theater or writing. Some are mentoring high schoolers or apprenticing young people in a trade. There are many places where compassionate humans are finding other humans and working together for a better world.

A more compassionate world is possible, one in which we will all enjoy better health. Creating it will make us healthier, too.

In community, we are strong. Recognizing denial and overcoming the fragmenting effects of spiritual disorder offer us a path to liberation and true health.

Good health and well-being are the collective rights of all people!

About the Author

Dr. Lorraine Bonner is a retired physician. She is also a sculptor who works in clay, exploring issues of trust, trustworthiness and exploitation, as well as visions of a better world.

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Prescribing Prevention: Doctors Turn to Lifestyle, Herbs and Veggies to Protect Against Chronic Illness in Black Californians

Published

1 month ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

Dr. Bill Releford owns Bloom Ranch in Acton, a 250-acre farm in Acton. Releford, a podiatrist based in Los Angeles started the 250-acre Bloom Ranch — he largest Black-owned ranch in Los Angeles County — in 2023. The ranch provides access to nutritional fruits and vegetables, a part of Releford’s strategy for focusing on wellness and preventive care.

By Charlene Muhammad, California Black Media

Leibo Glover received his diabetes diagnosis at the same time he found out he needed a below-the-knee amputation.

“Minor,” thought the 63-year-old.

Glover had been self-medicating a toe injury before seeing the doctor.

But while driving from South Los Angeles to Miami on a family trip, an infection set in.

“I had it but didn’t know,” said Glover. “I was just going to come back to California, but they told me if I had left, I would have come home as a corpse,” Glover told California Black Media (CBM).

A majority of the nearly 3.5 million Californians diagnosed with diabetes have preventable Type 2 diabetes, according to researchers at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

In 2023, diabetes was diagnosed in 1 in 6 adults with the lowest incomes (16.7% at 0–99% of the federal poverty line), compared to 1 in 11 adults with the highest incomes (8.9% at 300% or more of the federal poverty line). Age is a factor, too: more than 1 in 5 older adults age 65 and over (22.3%) had diabetes, about twice the rate of adults age 18–64 (8.6%).

Another study by Health Economics and Evaluation Research (HEER) mapped patients with diabetes in California who had amputations. Researchers found that patients living in low-income ZIP codes were far more likely to have had lower-limb amputations than those in higher-income ZIP codes, essentially identifying amputation “hot spots.”

At the time of Glover’s 2018 diagnosis, he was experiencing housing instability and going through financial hardships. Now, he has more stable housing and he has improved his health through lifestyle changes like eating healthier and getting more sleep.

“If the equipment is right, I can stand on my leg for hours. I can actually run, jump, dance and all of that,” said Glover, who got his diabetes under control, in part, by avoiding carbohydrates and sugars.

As chronic illnesses continue to disproportionately impact Black Californians — often leading to preventable amputations and premature deaths — a growing number of doctors and advocates are expanding their care from just treatment to including prevention. From promoting diet and lifestyle changes to cultivating community farms focused on prevention and wellness like Dr. Bill Releford’s Bloom Ranch in Acton.

Releford, a podiatrist based in Los Angeles started the 250-acre Bloom Ranch in 2023 as part of his strategy for preventive care.

“This is my assignment,” said Releford.

“Bloom Ranch has been a perfect backdrop for me to be creative and to find avant-garde ways to make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible to food deserts in Los Angeles County,” he stated.

California produces nearly half of the nation’s fruits and vegetables, yet more than 1 in 5 Californians — about 8.8 million people — currently struggle with food insecurity, according to the California Association of Food Banks.

“Studies have shown that 75% of amputations are preventable. And African Americans have the highest amputation rate in the nation,” Releford said.

As such, Releford continued, the mortality rate associated with high-level amputation is 50%, which means “if we had 10 people that all had high level amputations, five of those would be deceased in three years.”

Monday, June 28, 2025. Leibo Glover at his home in Los Angeles, California. The security professional’s leg was amputated below the knee.

Releford’s ranch is the largest Black-owned farm in L.A. County. He plans to partner with UCLA and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science to develop prescriptive vegetable boxes.

“Certain vegetables and herbs can lower blood pressure naturally, like beets, turnips, dill, basil, garlic and others,” said Releford.

“Hopefully, this will inspire other farmers to take this model and replicate it across other urban areas,” Releford added.

“A lot of studies have shown that gardening has so many health benefits – being in the sun, Vitamin D,” said Releford. “The dirt has a lot of microbes that are good for your immune system. Studies have shown that people who work in the dirt have strong immune systems.”

Gardening can potentially decrease the risk of dementia, enhance cognition, reduce stress, and boost immunity, indicates research by Genoa Barrow of the University of Southern California Center for Health Journalism as part of the 2024 Ethnic Media Collaborative, Healing California.

During a recent picturesque day at Bloom Ranch, families, school children, farmers and members of The Ultimate Book Club 1998, founded by Alina Anderson, sampled and purchased fresh produce while taking photographs.

“This is huge. “All of us have families that could use this information,” said Anderson.

Doctors like Releford, who are committed to tackling the most chronic diseases impacting all their patients utilize peer-to-peer support programs with self-management training led by individuals living with chronic conditions to provide role models and support for patients, according to a recent study by the California Health Care Foundation.

“The unifying feature of these programs is that they seek to build on the strengths, knowledge, and experience that peers can offer,” the report states.

Liz Helms, CEO of the California Chronic Care Coalition, addressed state-backed prevention policy and initiatives.

“It’s in horrible shape. It needs to get so much better, especially in underserved areas, where the Black population has a whole set of different needs,” she said.

Helms, who started advocacy after being denied access to care in the early 1990s, applauded new developments in telehealth. The opportunity to choose between visiting a doctor’s office or placing a phone call makes a difference, especially if there are transportation or distance issues, or if one is too sick, she said.

Fear is one thing people, especially in the Black community, must overcome, emphasized Helms.

“I had to get over my fear of going to the doctor, of not speaking up,” continued Helms, urging patients to “understand the baseline” of their health.

“Don’t let anyone stigmatize you or tell you that you’re not good enough to get care or look down on you. Everyone has a right to good, quality, affordable, timely health care,” said Helms.

To engage Bloom Ranch for preventive care focused on wellbeing and healthy living, call (323) 388-4828 or sign up at Bloomranchofacton.com

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A West Coast CDC? California Partners With Oregon, Washington and Hawaii to Form Regional Health Alliance

“President Trump’s mass firing of CDC doctors and scientists — and his blatant politicization of the agency — is a direct assault on the health and safety of the American people. California, Oregon, and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk,” said Governors Gavin Newsom, Tina Kotek, and Bob Ferguson in a joint statement.

Published

3 months ago

September 14, 2025

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California, Oregon, and Washington have launched the West Coast Health Alliance, a regional initiative to provide unified, science-based guidance on immunizations and other public health policies. The alliance was created in response to federal actions that have undermined the independence of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and raised concerns about the politicization of science.

The alliance aims to ensure residents receive credible, evidence-based recommendations, free from political interference.

State health leaders emphasized the importance of transparency and evidence-based communication.

California Department of Public Health Director Erica Pan said, “The dismantling of public health and dismissal of experienced and respected health leaders and advisors, along with the lack of using science, data, and evidence to improve our nation’s health are placing lives at risk.”

Oregon Health Authority Director Sejal Hathi backed the coalition saying, “Our communities deserve clear and transparent communication about vaccines — communication grounded in science, not ideology.” Washington State Secretary of Health Dennis Worsham noted, “Public health at its core is about prevention — preventing illness, preventing the spread of disease, and preventing early, avoidable deaths.”

Hawaii has joined the alliance, expanding the partnership to four states. “Hawaii is proud to stand with our West Coast partners to ensure public health decisions are grounded in science, not politics,” said Gov. Josh Green.

The alliance states will coordinate health guidelines using trusted national medical organizations, aligning immunization recommendations and public health strategies while respecting tribal sovereignty. Shared principles to strengthen public confidence in vaccines and other health measures will be finalized in the coming weeks.