A DENTAL and oral health expert is urging people to cut their sugar intake for the sake of their health.

La Trobe University Bendigo senior lecturer Dr Mohd Masood wants to develop research around sugar consumption and interventions at the community level.

Dr Masood said there was significant evidence linking sugar to two major health issues - obesity and dental caries, or tooth decay.

He said obesity was a risk factor for many other serious health problems, including heart conditions and diabetes.

Dr Masood said there were several factors contributing to high sugar consumption, one of them being the availability of sugary food. 

He said it was also difficult for people to make informed choices, as they were unaware of how much they should eat and how much was in their food. 

He said a single can of cola, for example, could contain a person's whole recommended intake amount for the day.

"The most common things in our diet that contain sugar are the sugary drinks, so the fizzy drinks and the juices, and the second is confectionery," Dr Masood said. 

But he said sugar was hidden in many common foods, from cereals and bread to sauces. 

"The problem is we don't know where it is and how to make those choices," Dr Masood said.

According to a 2011 VicHealth survey, 19 per cent of people in Greater Bendigo drank soft drink every day – the highest proportion in central Victoria and above the state average of 14 per cent.

To reduce sugar consumption, Dr Masood said there needed to be a multi-pronged approach, from government, industry, health professionals and retailers. 

"The complexity with sugar consumption is that it's so multi-factorial," he said. 

"You can't just use one approach and reduce sugar consumption."

He said what made sugar consumption complex was the fact it was difficult for people to monitor exactly how much they were eating.

He said the first step towards cutting sugar consumption would be to educate people on their recommended level of intake, which differed between people based on sex and age, and better literacy around how to read food labels.

The World Health Organisation recommends sugar – both added and that naturally present in honey and juices - be limited to less than 10 per cent of energy intake, and for greater benefit, to five per cent, which is about six teaspoons for an adult of healthy body weight.

Dr Masood said from this recommendation, children aged seven to 10 should consume no more than six teaspoons a day, or 25 grams, and children aged four and five no more than five teaspoons.

But data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2011-12, Australians consumed an average of 14 teaspoons per day.

Dr Masood said there also needed to be greater literacy when it came to reading food labels, so people could track exactly how much they were eating.

He said a sugar tax, such as that introduced on soft drinks in the UK, could be effective, but only in concert with other interventions.