Children in England have already exceeded their maximum recommended intake of sugar for the year and are on track to consume the equivalent of around 4,800 cubes of sugar by the end of the year – more than double the maximum recommendation – according to figures from Public Health England (PHE).

PHE’s Change4Life campaign is therefore urging parents to make simple changes to their child’s diet, such as swapping sugary soft drinks for water, lower-fat plain milk and sugar-free or no-added-sugar alternatives.

It also recommends limiting fruit juice and smoothies to 150ml per day and only drinking them with meals, as well as cutting back on sugary snacks by swapping cakes, biscuits, chocolate and sweets for fruit, plain rice cakes, toast, fruit teacakes, malted loaf or bagels with lower-fat spread.

Dr Alison Tedstone, PHE’s chief nutritionist said: “We’re barely halfway through the year and already children have consumed far more sugar than is healthy – it’s no surprise this is contributing to an obesity crisis… Swapping to lower or no added sugar alternatives is something all parents can work towards.”