Teenagers, aged between 11 and 18, drink almost a bathtub full of sugary drinks on average a year, according to new calculations from Cancer Research UK.
The figures have been drawn from National Diet and Nutrition Survey data in a report carried out by the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency charting the population’s diet and nutrition.
Alison Cox, director of prevention at Cancer Research UK, said: “The data sheds light on the extreme sugar consumption of UK teenagers and children.
“Worryingly, four to 10 year olds are drinking the equivalent of almost half a bathtub full of sugary drinks each year.”
The figures show that adults and young children consume twice the maximum recommended amount of added sugar, while 11 to 18 year olds eat and drink three times the recommended limit, with sugary drinks being their main source of added sugar.
Obese children are around five times more likely to grow into obese adults, and carrying too much weight increases the risk of cancer as well as other diseases.
Cox added: “It’s shocking that teenagers are drinking the equivalent of a bathtub of sugary drinks a year.
“We urgently need to stop this happening and the good news is that the Government’s sugar tax will play a crucial role in helping to curb this behaviour.
“The ripple effect of a small tax on sugary drinks is enormous, and it will give soft drinks companies a clear incentive to reduce the amount of sugar in drinks. When coupled with the Government’s plan to reduce sugar in processed food, we could really see an improvement to our diets.
“But the Government can do more to give the next generation a better chance, by closing the loop hole on junk food advertising on TV before the 9pm watershed.
“The UK has an epidemic on its hands, and needs to act now.”
In March, the Government announced it will introduce a tax on soft drinks with added sugar.
Drinks with 5g of sugar per 100ml will face a lower rate of tax , while those with more than 8g per 100ml will face a higher rate.
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates the levy could add 18p to 24p to the price of a litre of fizzy drink if the full cost is passed on to the consumer.
A recent Cancer Research UK report showed that a 20p per litre sugar tax could prevent 3.7 million cases of obesity over the next decade.