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Obesity and diabetes are two diseases that continue to affect so many lives throughout the world. These illnesses can lead to potentially fatal health conditions if left unchecked. Due to the health concerns tied to obesity and diabetes, agencies have started numerous campaigns to encourage people to eat better by consuming less added sugar and more healthy grains and fruits. In an attempt to urge people to consume less sugar, Professor Simon Capewell of the University of Liverpool's Institute of Psychology stated that sugar could very much be the new tobacco.

Capewell, who is one of the world's leading health experts, is a part of a campaign called Action on Sugar. This campaign was created to combat obesity by encouraging people to consume less added sugar found in certain foods and beverages. Several studies in the past have also found that sugar can be extremely addictive. Due to this fact, experts that support these types of campaigns want the public to be better educated about what they are putting into their bodies.

"Sugar is the new tobacco. Everywhere, sugary drinks and junk foods are now pressed on unsuspecting parents and children by a cynical industry focused on profit not health," Capewell said according to Medical Xpress. "The obesity epidemic is already generating a huge burden of disease and death. Obesity and diabetes already costs the UK over £5billion every year. Without regulation, these costs will exceed £50billion by 2050. The public deserves effective action now".

The campaign also focuses on children, who are extremely vulnerable to sugar consumption. Since children are developing habits that they will most likely keep forever, getting them to make better health decisions is vital. Action on Sugar aims to encourage the food and beverage industry and the Department of Health to enforce a reformulation program. This program would slowly reduce the level of added sugar in their items.

The program believes that cutting roughly 20 to 30 percent of added sugar over the span of three to five years is achievable. For more information, visit the website here.