Sugar smart app: Your response

Health officials hope the app will help combat tooth decay in children

After a festive season of indulgence for many, including grown-ups and children alike, parents are now being urged to sign up for a free app which tells them the sugar content in food and drink.

The "sugar smart app", from Public Health England, scans barcodes and reveals the total sugar count in cubes or grams.

The app prompted a mixed response via emails to the BBC, and on Facebook and Twitter.

Alex Whittenbury comments via the BBC News Facebook page: "It's a very interesting app. Having just scanned my daughter's cereal and juice choice for breakfast, it appears she has already consumed her daily allowance of sugar. It certainly gives us 'food for thought' (no pun intended) as to the choices we will make for the rest of the day."

Her comments have also sparked a lively debate:

Cath Mc from Scotland advocates moderation via Twitter, with the help of Mary Poppins:

Martin Stevens calls for a more "common sense" approach, tweeting:

Craig Grant from Leeds is one of the sceptics. He emails a list of questions in response: "A good idea for an app but I wonder whether it can be trusted. Will the results be doctored to make a drink look less sugary than it is? How much data will it grab from your phone? Will the information actually be correct? Who is going to maintain the database? And if there is a sugar tax then where does the money go? Who gets it? What will happen with it? And is it another excuse to just take money from people?"

Rob Holland, meanwhile, tweets his support for the app:

Norman Todd in Derby is optimistic, but cautious. He emails: "Brilliant app. Shocking revelations. The BBC should push this as part of their 'public service' remit. Now what about an app for fat and calories? This is not just for sugary drinks but works with other food products as well. It is also for everyone to use not just parents. The 'drinks' and 'parents' line is misleading. Only downside is that some big name everyday products are missing from the database."

Stephanie Cavanagh from Aughton, Lancashire, adds via email: "I think this new app would be fantastic. I would use it and I am sure other mums I know would use it, not only for our children but the whole family. Any app that can help you with a healthy life would be well worth downloading. Fantastic idea."

Sam Kilpatrick and Amy Oakley, meanwhile, question the need for an app at all, on the BBC News Facebook page:

Finally, Eatonlow from Guyana sounds an alarmist note on the subject, via email: "I think that sugar is an addictive monster that has power over young children."

Food for thought, indeed.

Compiled by Stephen Fottrell