Public Health England is urging parents to limit snacks to a maximum of two 100-calorie snacks a day

from eating chocolate bars under tough new Government guidelines.

Parents are being told to limit treats to a maximum of two 100-calorie snacks a day, ruling out Mars bars which have 230.

Public Health England aims to halt the obesity crisis. Its chief nutritionist said it wanted to encourage “healthier snacking”.

Kids will be urged to swap choc bars for snacks like plain rice cakes, sugar-free jelly and fromage frais un­der new guidelines.

They say youngsters should be limited to two of these between meals per day.

That rules out Mars bars which have 230 calories, KitKats, with 209 and Dairy Milk bars on 240. Even half a bar would be too much.

Instead, officials suggest 27-calorie rice cakes, fromage frais with 41, or a pot of jelly with only five.

PHE’s Change4Life heal­thy eating campaign says: “Look for 100-ca­lorie snacks, two a day max.”

The guidance comes as their research shows kids consume three times more sugar than recommended — with half coming from snacks and drinks.

The recommended daily intake for those aged four to ten is equal to five cubes.

Public He

alth England recommend a maximum two snacks a day that are 100 calories each

The average intake is 15. Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, said: “Children are having unhealthy snacks throughout the day and parents are concerned.

“To make it easier for busy families, we’ve developed a simple rule of thumb to help them move to­w­ards healthier snacking — ‘Look for 100-calorie snacks, two a day max’.”

Justine Roberts, of website Mums-net, said: “The volume of sugar kids get from snacks and sugary drinks alone is mind-blowing.”

Caroline Cerny, from the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “When it comes to sugar, it’s all too easy to eat more than is good for us.

“We need all sectors of the food industry to reduce sugar and overall calories in their products to help us all make healthier choices.”

But Chris Snowdon, from the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: “Telling parents what they can and can’t allow their children to snack on is just another addition to the long list of unnecessary interferences from Public Health England.

“Introducing such extreme limits is an insult to people’s intelligence.”