A controversial United Nations diet and health report that sets a goal for sugar consumption lacks a thorough scientific basis and needs more work, a majority of member states said on Tuesday.
At a meeting in Rome, many countries slammed the joint report by the UN health and food bodies, compiled by a team of experts, that gives nutrition advice and urges people to limit calories from sugar to below 10 percent of daily energy intake.
Some specialists have argued that limiting sugar intake may depress demand for the commodity and imperil the livelihoods of poor farmers.
The UN report, which says carbohydrates should provide the bulk of energy requirements, is part of a strategy to cut risks of chronic diseases by encouraging people to eat more fruit and vegetables, limit sugar consumption, and exercise moderately.
"A majority of members expressed the view that the scientific basis for the Expert Report recommendations was inadequate," said a draft report, made available to Reuters, released after a session of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) Committee on Agriculture.
"The application of its global recommendations at individual country level would need to take into account the specific circumstances of each country," the draft report added, apparently in reference to criticism from developing nations.
"These members questioned whether it was valid to establish population-nutrient intake goals for individual dietary factors in isolation from considerations of energy balance."
The G77 group of developing nations said in a statement on Monday that any 'one-size-fits-all' diet is an illusory concept.
The G77 said the differences in diet among nations and between groups within each nation are so marked that any recommendation for the percentage distribution of food items in the diet is "like walking into a dark alley".
The draft report issued after Tuesday's meeting said further research was needed on diet guidelines.
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