There has been a seismic shift in the dietary landscape in recent years.

Where once fat was the much maligned enemy, now scientists are turning their attention to sugar.

It is now widely accepted that more must be done to encourage people to reduce their sugar intake.

So much so that dietary guidelines in the UK and US have been altered to reflect the changing scientific evidence.

The World Health Organization recommends no more than 10 per cent of a person's daily energy should come from added sugars, or those found naturally in juices and honey.

That equates to around 50g or 12 teaspoons a day.

While the links between a high-sugar diet and obesity are well documented, in light of the mounting evidence, experts are turning their attention to the other ways sugar can affect the body.

In a recent study, a team at the University of New South Wales in Australia, found sugar is as damaging to the brain as extreme stress or abuse.

Here research associate, Jayanthi Maniam and profressor of pharmacology, Margaret Morris discuss their findings. 

We all know that cola and lemonade aren’t great for our waistline or our dental health.

But our new study has shed light on just how much damage sugary drinks can also do to our brain.

The changes we observed to the region of the brain that controls emotional behaviour and cognitive function were more extensive than those caused by extreme early life stress.

It is known that adverse experiences early in life, such as extreme stress or abuse, increase the risk of poor mental health and psychiatric disorders later in life.