Change4Life campaign launches sugar app

Public Health England (PHE) has launched a new app as part of its Change4Life campaign. The app tells users how much sugar is in the food they're consuming, and has been created in a bid to combat obesity.

Users are able to scan over 75,000 barcodes on products to find out the sugar content. Healthy recipes are provided, along with discounts off healthier products, and weekly email tips to reduce the sugar that parents are giving their children. These aim to encourage families to start leading a healthier lifestyle.

PHE has previously been at the forefront of campaigns to tackle obesity, particularly in children. It published support for a sugar tax last year, while also calling for a reduction in marketing aimed at children for unhealthy food and drink.

According to Change4Life, children are consuming three times more sugar than they should be, which is causing a serious childhood obesity issue. The new app is the latest in a series of measures to make Britain a healthier nation.