People should halve their daily sugar consumption to 5 percent if they want to avoid health risks such as weight gain and tooth decay, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday Reuters reported.

The United Nations health agency issued new draft sugar guidelines advising a dramatic reduction in sugar intake based on "the totality of evidence regarding the relationship between free sugar intake and body weight and dental caries," Reuters reported.

Free sugars include monosaccharides and disaccharides, which are added to foods by manufacturers, cooks or consumers. They also include sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit concentrates.

"WHO recommends reduced intake of free sugars throughout the life-course," the agency said in a statement. "There is increasing concern that consumption of free sugars - particularly in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages - increases overall energy intake and may reduce the intake of foods containing more nutritionally adequate calories."

The new guidelines proposed by WHO retains the current recommended limit of 10 percent, or 12 teaspoons, of sugar. However, the agency states that a further reduction to 5 percent "would have additional benefits," The Telegraph reported. They said 5 percent should be a target for people to aim for.

Researchers said that a consumption of free sugars can lead to an unhealthy diet, weight gain and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, Reuters reported.

"Also of great concern is the role free sugars play in the development of dental diseases, particularly dental caries," the agency said.  

The draft was released a day after Britain's chief medical officer suggested that a sugar tax be introduced to curb obesity rates, saying research was likely to find that the ingredient is "addictive."