The Big Picture

Sugar restriction

Background

Although billions of dollars are spent on research to improve populations’ health, many health policies do not include the current science findings from basic, clinical, and health research. Scientists must explain their findings as part of the health policy process to the bodies involved in developing policy regarding health care for various populations. Community water fluoridation is an example of successfully translating science into policy. A contemporary challenge involves the translation

Research Findings

A systematic review of more than 50 studies worldwide has found that a moderate level of evidence exists for the relationship between sugar intake and dental caries, especially among children. Nearly all report a positive association between sugar intake and dental caries experience. The process of dental caries development begins when the balance between pathological factors, such as bacteria and the ingestion of fermentable carbohydrates or sugars, and protective factors, such as salivary

Recommendations

The strategies to promote behavior change fall into four primary types: providing information about the behavior, increasing or decreasing opportunities for the behavior, providing incentives or disincentives for the behavior, and requiring or prohibiting the behavior. All have been applied, with varying success. The World Health Organization (WHO) published new guidelines calling for restricted sugar intake based on evidence that relates sugar intake with a higher risk of unhealthy weight gain

Implications for Policies

Health policy approaches such as these are not new. Although they are expected to have some impact on sugar intake they may not prompt behavior change.

The incorporation of research into health policy can be hindered by the perceived need for researchers to remain objective and balance that objectivity with the ability to communicate with stakeholders and policy makers. In addition, outside parties with special interests can put barriers in place to protect their interests at the expense of