Sri Lankans Consume 3x More Sugar Than Recommended

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Ministry of Health Sri Lanka says it is focusing on strengthening the sugar tax as part of efforts to address rising sugar consumption in the country. 

Deputy Director General of Dental Services, Chandana Gajanayake, said that sweets are increasingly being consumed as substitutes for proper meals.

He stressed the importance of switching to healthier food options instead of sugary products, noting that authorities are paying renewed attention to reinforcing the sugar tax.

According to the World Health Organization, a healthy individual should consume no more than 10 kilograms of sugar per year.

However, the Health Ministry says the average Sri Lankan consumes around 34 kilograms of sugar annually, significantly exceeding the recommended level.