It gave the advice after a British newspaper report on Tuesday that doctors and dentists in the United Kingdom (UK) were calling for cigarette-style warnings on sweet packets to help warn children off sugar.
According to the The Daily Mail, the policy could see photos of rotten teeth and fat children adorn the front of sweet wrappers alongside messages such as “Sugar can contribute to obesity and the need for fillings”.
However, MMA president Dr Ravindran R Naidu said such images had proven unsuccessful in deterring smokers.
“The images on cigarette packets don’t help much to deter smokers although using such images on sweet wrappers may sway some parents to keep a closer watch on their children’s sugar consumption,” he told FMT.
“I believe educating the people on the side effects of sugar is better. Everything must start in schools and in homes.
“If parents and teachers fail to properly educate children regarding the side effects of sugar, the government should step in and either increase excise tax on sugar or remove subsidies completely.
“Yes, it’s going to make people angry but what everyone must understand is that the bad effects of taking sugar far exceed the good,” he said, citing obesity and diabetes as some of the health disorders sugar could cause.
“There must be moderation in everything. Are we able to control sugar intake? Are we able to control our children’s sugar intake?”
He stressed, however, that educating children was still a better option.
“Removing the subsidy is an option, but it’s not going to be much of a deterrent. Like cigarettes, increasing costs does not seem to stop people from smoking,” he said.
Last year, it was widely reported that findings published in British medical journal The Lancet had noted that Malaysia was the most obese country in Asia with an obesity rate of more than 45.3%.