The Health Ministry, with the aim to promote products which are healthier, is all set to meet with as many as 60 representatives of the food and beverage sector to try and talk them into reducing the current sugar content in their products.

As per details shared by Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, the meeting, which she would be chairing herself, is scheduled for January 12 and would be attended by, in addition to industry representatives, those from the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry.

The Minister has confirmed that various companies have already reduced the sugar content in their food items and drinks to support the nationwide campaign to reduce the consumption of sugar. "We have to enlighten the people that excessive sugar intake is harmful to health", she said.

Authorities are also expecting that consumers would like to reduce their sugar consumption because of official figures shared by the Consumers Association of Penang, which reveal that Malaysians end up consuming about 26 tea spoons of sugar each day, which is substantially high when compared to the daily recommended intake of 7 tea spoons.