The Dutch consume twice as much sugar as they think they do, according to research by the Dutch health charity Diabetes Fonds.

On average, people think they eat the equivalent of 7.4 sugar cubes a day, but in reality, they consume over 14 – underestimating their actual consumption by 10 kilos of sugar per person per year, broadcaster NOS reported on Friday.

Three-quarters of the sugar intake comes not from sweets or biscuits, but from soups, sauces and herb mixes where it is used as a flavour enhancer. Research suggests 75% of people who cook use ready-made sauces and spice mixes at least once a week, but rarely check the list of ingredients.

The charity says 1.1 million people in the Netherlands are currently suffering from type 2 diabetes and a further 1.4 million people run the risk of developing it.