Under new World Health Organization guidance, people are advised to halve the amount of sugar in their diet.

The recommended sugar intake will stay at below 10 percent of total calorie intake a day, with 5 percent the target, according to the WHO.

The suggested limits apply to all sugars added to food, as well as sugar naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit concentrates, the BBC reported.

UK campaigners say it is a “tragedy” that the WHO has taken 10 years to think about changing its advice.

The recommendation that sugar should account for no more than 10 percent of the calories in the diet, was passed in 2002.

It works out at about 50g a day for an adult of normal weight, the WHO said.

However, a number of experts now think 10 percent is too high, amid rising obesity levels around the world.

Announcing the new draft measures, the WHO said in a statement that the current recommendation, from 2002, is that sugars should make up less than 10 percent of total energy intake per day.

It further suggests that a reduction to below 5 percent of total energy intake per day would have additional benefits.

BDST: 1545 HRS, MAR-08, 2014