Cancer Research UK has released a new report on the sugar consumption of teenagers in the UK through drinks.

According to calculations in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey data, 11-18 year olds consume almost a bathtub full of sugary drinks on average a year.

Children between 4-10 years of age are reported to consume around half of this amount.

"The good news is that the government’s sugar tax will play a crucial role in helping to curb this behaviour."

It is claimed that adults and young children consume twice the maximum recommended amount of added sugar and 11-18 year olds eat and drink three times the recommended limit. Sugary drinks constitute the main source of this added sugar.

Obese children growing into obese adults is very likely, and being overweight can lead to cancer and other diseases.

Another recent report by Cancer Research UK indicated that a 20p per litre sugar tax could prevent 3.7 million cases of obesity over the next ten years.

Cancer Research UK prevention director Alison Cox said: “It’s shocking that teenagers are drinking the equivalent of a bathtub of sugary drinks a year.

“We urgently need to stop this happening and the good news is that the government’s sugar tax will play a crucial role in helping to curb this behaviour.

"The ripple effect of a small tax on sugary drinks is enormous, and it will give soft drinks companies a clear incentive to reduce the amount of sugar in drinks."