Islington has enrolled in national anti-sugar campaign to battle tooth decay and unhealthy diets.

The council has joined the Sugar Smart campaign – a coalition of leisure centres, workplaces, hospitals and more – aiming to promote healthy lifestyles in the borough.

Council chiefs are also calling on others to sign up: so far 11 organisations in Islington have pledged to promote low-sugar alternatives wherever possible.

Islington’s health boss Cllr Janet Burgess said: “We want to encourage all organisations in Islington, particularly those who regularly serve food and drinks to children and young people, to sign up to our SUGAR SMART campaign and commit to making healthier choices more affordable and accessible to residents.

“In 2017, over 20 per cent of 5 year olds in Islington had experienced tooth decay at some point in their short lives so sugar consumption is a clear and present threat to the health of our future generations.”

According to Public Health England, on average, children aged 4 to 10 in England are consuming twice their recommended sugar intake every day.