Adults must drastically reduce the amount of sugar they consume, the US government warned.

New dietary guidelines recommend people ingest no more than 200 calories of sugar a day.

That's nearly 10 per cent of their daily caloric intake - or 50 grams of sugar, roughly 12 teaspoons.

Currently adults consume nearly 270 calories from sugar each day, equating to 13 of their diet.  

Those calories mostly stem from sugars added to soft drinks, sports drinks, cakes and other snacks. 

Reducing sugar intake is vital for achieving healthy eating patterns and tackling obesity, government experts said.

The guidelines follow the World Health Organization's recent recommendation that no more than 10 per cent of a person's daily calories should come from added sugars.

However, the UN agency advised that people aim for no more than five per cent - 25g or around six teaspoons - to combat weight gain and an increased risk of diseases including diabetes, as well as tooth decay.

The US guidelines said: ‘When added sugars in foods and beverages exceed 10 per cent of calories, a healthy eating pattern may be difficult to achieve.’ 

The recommendation is part of a larger push to help consumers isolate added sugars from naturally occurring ones like those in fruit and milk. 

Added sugars generally add empty calories to the diet.

Sugar-sweetened beverages make up a large portion of those empty calories. 

According to the guidelines, sugary drinks comprise 47 per cent of the added sugars that Americans eat every day. 

And so, many people may be unaware that their favorite drinks or snacks are packed full of sugar.

As a result, they regularly go over the recommended daily sugar intake, the government said.

For instance, a 16 fl oz bottle of Coca-Cola contains 190 calories - and 52 grams of sugar.

One bottle a day would take a person over their recommended daily sugar limit, under the new guidelines.  

And, the sugars included in popular foods and drinks can also add up to get a person at or above their sugar maximum. 

A can of Campbell's tomato soup contains 12 grams of sugar - roughly 46 calories.

And, a Caffè Mocha beverage at Starbucks has 35 grams of sugar - nearly 135 calories. 

Released every five years, the guidelines are intended to help Americans prevent disease and obesity. 

Additionally, Americans need to lower salt intake, the government says.

New figures from the Centers for Disease for Disease Control and Prevention show that around 90 percent of people eat too much. 

The average person eats 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, and the guidelines say everyone should lower that amount to 2,300, or about a teaspoon.