Joe Wicks criticised for 'demonising' sugar after Instagram post about refusing daughter's treat

Joe Wicks has been criticised for "demonising" sugar after an Instagram post describing how he declined to give his three-year-old daughter a sweet at a soft-play centre, prompting a sharply divided reaction from followers and health professionals.

In a lengthy caption last week the fitness coach and author recounted taking two of his children to a leisure-centre play area where vending machines and a cafe displayed chocolate bars, muffins, fizzy drinks, slushies and other highly processed items. Wicks, 39, who rose to prominence during the Covid-19 lockdowns as The Body Coach, said he had packed fruit and prepared a healthy lunch but still felt pressured when his daughter asked, "Daddy why do all the other kids get to eat sugar?" He wrote that the exchange left him feeling like "a s**t dad" and argued that a prevailing "snack culture" contributes to frequent consumption of foods that "spike blood sugar levels & increase our appetite and cravings."

The post prompted widespread comment. Some followers urged moderation, warning that strict avoidance can make forbidden foods more appealing and could foster rebellion or unhealthy relationships with food. Others backed Wicks, saying ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and ubiquitous sugary snacks have normalised poor dietary patterns and made parents' efforts to provide healthier options more difficult.

Public figures and experts also weighed in. Former reality TV contestant Kate Lawler publicly supported Wicks, saying change was needed and noting limited healthy options in many retail outlets. Nutritionists and members of the online fitness community have previously expressed concern about Wicks's approach after he described relapsing from a self-imposed sugar-free regimen. In a separate post he said he had eaten a packet of Jaffa Cakes while filming a celebrity episode of the BBC series Gladiators, then consumed further sugar over subsequent days. Critics in the health and fitness field cautioned that portraying sugar as an "addictive substance" or framing relapse in terms used for substance dependence could risk endorsing disordered eating patterns among his large audience.

Wicks has a substantial social-media following and built a brand around home workouts and nutrition guidance during the pandemic. In recent years he has spoken publicly about reducing sugar and his attempts to limit ultra-processed products in his family's diet. In his latest post he described the specific environment of the leisure centre — confectionery at children's eye level and menus featuring fried items and packed sweets — as reinforcing the notion that "kids eat kids food" and contributing to daily battles for parents trying to encourage healthier choices.

Commenters who challenged Wicks argued that demonising particular food groups can create "weird food obsessions" or inadvertently glamorise treats. Several urged an approach that combines balanced home cooking with occasional, unremarkable treats to reduce the allure of restricted foods. Supporters countered that normalising frequent consumption of UPFs is itself a public-health concern, pointing to links between highly processed diets, obesity and chronic disease and arguing that environments saturated with sugary options make healthier parenting harder.

The episode highlights ongoing tensions in public discussions about childhood nutrition: how to reconcile messages of moderation with the practical realities of food availability, and how public figures with large followings should discuss personal dietary strategies. Experts routinely recommend that parents model balanced eating, limit exposure to high-sugar products where possible, and use simple explanations with young children about why some foods are eaten less often. They also advise caution in language that equates dietary lapses with moral failure or addiction, given potential implications for young people and those vulnerable to disordered eating.

Wicks asked followers for thoughts in his post, acknowledging he was trying to "figure out every day as a parent" how best to navigate the issue. The debate among his followers and health commentators underscores the broader societal conversation about ultra-processed foods, public availability of sugary products, and how best to encourage healthy eating habits in children without creating stigma or unhealthy attitudes toward food.