Too much sugar: Austrians consume the recommended annual amount by August

August 3rd this year, Austrians will have consumed as much sugar as the maximum recommended for a whole year, Foodwatch announced on Friday.

According to the WHO, a maximum of ten percent of your daily energy intake should come from free sugar; for adults this is a maximum of 50 grams. Instead, adults in this country consume almost 92 grams per day.

Foodwatch called for the introduction of a tax on sweetened drinks.

More than 100 countries worldwide, including twelve EU member states, have already introduced a tax on sugary drinks. Most recently, Germany also decided on a sugar tax on sweet drinks, which will apply from 2028.

In Great Britain, the sugar content in soft drinks fell significantly after the tax was introduced because manufacturers adjusted their recipes. A study commissioned by the Austrian Ministry of Health also comes to the conclusion that such a tax would make sense for Austria and would have positive effects on health.

Sugar consumption through soft drinks

According to Foodwatch, every third boy and every fourth girl of primary school age is overweight or obese, and around 70 percent of them remain so in adulthood. Nevertheless, according to current Euromonitor data evaluated by foodwatch, Austria ranks second among the ten most populous Western European countries when it comes to sugar consumption through soft drinks – just behind Germany.

Just 500 milliliters of cola, with around 53 grams of sugar, cover the WHO’s daily recommended maximum amount. Sugar consumption via energy drinks has also increased by more than 50 percent since 2011.