Studies reveal UK ‘healthy bar’ ranges are loaded with high sugar levels

Results from UK studies at Queen Mary University have found more than a third of snacking bar ranges marketed as healthy options, in fact contain notably high levels of sugars, writes Neill Barston.

The research from the Action on Salt and Sugar organisation, found that some 37% of British products in the category were carrying elevated levels of sugars that would carry warnings in two thirds of markets around the world.

According to the campaign group, this is of particular significance as recent modelling comparing traffic-light labels favoured in the UK, with stricter nutrient-warning labels shows the latter could have almost double the impact: cutting obesity rates by 4 percentage points and preventing around 110,000 obesity-related deaths.

Published to coincide with Sugar Awareness Week, the research examined 458 snack bars sold across ten of the UK’s leading supermarkets.

Despite being promoted as ‘convenient’ and ‘nutritious’, Action on Salt and Sugar’s analysis revealed wide variations in nutritional quality – with products ranging from 62 to 378 kcal in just one serving.

Using the UK’s traffic light nutrition labelling system , the survey found that while some bars (28%) were considered low in total sugars, on average, each serving contained 7g of sugar – that’s nearly 2 teaspoons of sugar and equivalent to almost one-third (29%) of a 7–10-year-old child’s maximum daily limit of free sugars.

Over half (55%) were high in saturated fat. In addition, the findings reveal how misleading marketing and weak policy oversight are fuelling excess sugar intake, particularly among children and young people, through claims such as ‘source of protein’, ‘source of fibre’, ‘no added sugar’ and ‘made with whole grains’. Among those carrying “high in fibre”, nearly one-third (31%) were also high in sugars.

The study highlighted M&S Dark Chocolate Date Bar contained 26.5g of sugar per serving – almost seven teaspoons – while Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Squares Caramel & Chocolate Snack Bars contained 14g per serving.

Among the products with protein claims, Deliciously Ella Roasted Peanut Protein Ball contained 16g of sugars per serving. Consumers should be aware these are snack products, contain free sugars and should be consumed occasionally and in small amounts.

Equally concerning, says the study, was the fact all products surveyed contained an average 175 kcal and 7.2g of total fat per serving. The highest-calorie product was Chia Charge Chia Seed Flapjack With Sea Salt Flakes 80g at 378 kcal per serving, followed by Chia Charge Chia Seed Flapjack With Banana 80g at 357 kcal and H&B Ginger Flapjack 80g at 347 kcal, while Skinny Crunch Light Salted Caramel 19g had the lowest at 62 kcal per serving.

As the organisation asserted, government guidance advises snacks and drinks should make up no more than 20% of our daily calories – roughly equating to two 200 kcal snacks for a moderately active woman. Yet nearly a third (32%) of the products surveyed exceeded this limit, pushing excess calories well beyond what’s recommended.

Dr Kawther Hashem, Senior Lecturer in Public Health Nutrition and Head of Research and Impact at Action on Salt & Sugar based at Queen Mary University of London, commented: “Parents and young people are being misled into believing these products are healthy when many contain excess sugar and calories. The Government must take more assertive action by mandating clear front-of-pack labelling and tightening the sugar thresholds, introducing levies on unhealthy foods, and setting ambitious healthy sales targets to truly protect children’s health.”