Romania, EU leader in sugar consumption: 30 kg per person annually, double the European average

Romania ranks first in the European Union for sugar consumption, a position it has held for over three years, according to a Realitatea PLUS investigation. Annual consumption reaches approximately 400,000 tonnes, meaning an average of nearly 30 kilograms of sugar per person per year – twice the European Union average.

Sugar is no longer found only in sweets or soft drinks; it is increasingly appearing in products considered everyday staples: yoghurts, sauces, processed meats, and other processed foods. Consumers interviewed say it is difficult to find products without sugar or sweeteners, and many admit they rarely read labels due to the very small print.

Hidden sugar in children's products

Specialists warn that one of the major issues is added sugar in children's foods – from fruit yoghurts to processed meats – where consumers would not expect to find it. They recommend public policies that would prohibit the use of sugar in products such as children's processed meats or fruit yoghurts, where the amount can reach up to three teaspoons per 100 grams, equivalent to the recommended daily intake for an entire day.

A specific example is a mixed berry yoghurt, in which sugar appears among the first ingredients on the list, with the label indicating 9.5 grams of sugars per 100 grams of product.

How to read a label correctly

Ingredients on a label are required to be listed in descending order of quantity – the first ingredient is present in the greatest amount, and the last in the smallest. If sugar appears among the first ingredients, the product contains a significant quantity of it. Nevertheless, for many Romanians, labels remain difficult to read due to the small print, which means hidden sugar is consumed daily without people realising it.

Sauces and sweetened drinks among the most risky

Doctors cited in the report explain that sugar is used as a flavour enhancer in many processed products, including sauces and ketchup, even though these are not perceived as sweet foods. Sweetened drinks are considered even more dangerous, as sugar from liquids is absorbed rapidly by the body – a single glass of juice can exceed the recommended daily sugar intake.

The effects of excess sugar on the body

According to doctors, excessive sugar consumption is converted into triglycerides in the liver, which becomes overloaded, impairing protein production and the body's ability to eliminate toxins. The process generates significant inflammation, affecting blood vessels and the heart. Fat accumulates not only externally, but also around internal organs, the digestive tract, and the heart, with direct inflammatory effects and organ overload.

In Romania, cardiovascular diseases occur at a rate 2.5 times higher than the European average and represent the leading cause of mortality.

Rising obesity rates

Obesity rates are continuing to rise in Romania: approximately 4 in 10 adults suffer from obesity, and when overweight individuals are included, the figure exceeds 60% of the population. Specialists argue that a preference for sweet flavours develops as early as the first months of life, and a large proportion of children's snacks contain sugar among their main ingredients, which may influence dietary habits later in life.

Some consumers say they try to avoid tinned goods and processed meats, opting instead for lean or low-fat cuts of meat, but acknowledge that it is difficult to eliminate hidden sugar from their diet entirely. Some are also calling for action from the authorities: easier-to-read labels and stricter rules on the use of sugar in products where it should not be present.