Dear Editor,

Do people really know how much damage a single box of doughnuts can do?

According to nutritional information, an original glazed doughnut contains around 12 grams of sugar (3 teaspoons). A glazed doughnut with cream filling contains about 22 grams (5.5 teaspoons), which is almost a woman’s entire recommended daily limit of 25 grams. Men are advised to consume no more than 36 grams per day. Eating multiple doughnuts, along with sweetened drinks and meals, means many people far exceed healthy limits.

Too much sugar is directly linked to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. In Jamaica, one in three people have hypertension and one in eight have diabetes yet marketing of sugary foods is aggressive, especially towards younger audiences, and our food policy is weak. We have no mandated warnings such as octagonal front-of-package warning labels (FOPWL) to help consumers instantly identify when something is high in sugar, sodium, or fat.

I have learnt through advocacy that sugar hides in places we do not expect, including “healthy” granola bars, fruit drinks, and flavoured water. One flavoured water I used to drink regularly had 35 grams of sugar. A popular energy drink contains 70 grams. We also tend to blindly add sugar to tea, coffee, and smoothies. Without clear, honest labelling, most people remain in the dark.

This isn’t about never enjoying a sweet treat, it’s about recognising that we are up against a food environment designed for overconsumption. Like cigarettes, these products have long-term health risks, but unlike cigarettes, most foods come with no warning.

The National School Nutrition Policy, recently approved by Parliament, is a good start. But post-election the Government must go further by implementing broader protective policies that shield all citizens from deceptive or unclear marketing of unhealthy foods. FOPWL is one such measure that would help ensure everyone understands what’s in their food and what it means for their health.

Natalia Burton

Youth Advocate

nataliatburton@gmail.com