One researcher explained that kids have an "internal control" system, which works by putting a cap on the number of calories they consume regardless of the source. For example, a regular soda could take the place of a highly nutritious food. The problem with foods high in sugar is twofold -- they contain little in terms of vitamins and minerals, and the calories they make up are not considered important micronutrients needed for health and growth.
"Added Sugar" Recommendations
Experts expressed concern that the recommendation of 25 percent of daily calories was too high and also noted the importance of these recommendations as they are often referred to when it comes to the development of federal nutrition programs.
To find out the effects added sugars had on kids' diets the researchers analyzed the data of over 5,000 children ranging in age from 2 to 5. They focused on the amount of added sugars the children consumed in relation to their important nutrient intake. The results of the study confirmed that the more added sugars kids ate, the less they benefited from key nutrients such as fiber, protein, calcium, iron and folate.
The most disconcerting results were the breakdown of added sugar intake. The study revealed that in the 2- to 3-year-old group, average consumption of added sugar was around 14 teaspoons a day. This number jumped to 17 daily teaspoons a day among 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds.
Journal of Pediatrics January 2005;146(1):105-11
Imagine sitting and spoon-feeding your child 17 teaspoons of sugar a day. As disturbing of a picture as this contrives, this is exactly what is happening among the diets of young children today.
Sugar is one of our biggest enemies and in a past newsletter many may be surprised that I find it even more dangerous for you than smoking. It appears in almost everything we eat and drink, making it very difficult to avoid. But, folks, if you read the newsletter, you know just how far big business will go to keep its revenue streams flowing -- meaning foods and drinks full of sugars both natural and unnatural -- at the expense of your family's health.
This blind greed is blatantly apparent in all the marketing dollars thrown at kids and parents to try the newest sugary food or drink, paralleling the rise of the obesity epidemic in this country.
Perhaps this study is proof that conventional medicine is finally catching on to this blight. Prevention of childhood obesity is far easier than applying treatment options, although much of the success of prevention depends on parental involvement. Setting guidelines and educating children on good nutrition through providing them with nutritious meals and snacks will put them on the road to making healthy decisions as adults.
Dr. Ben Lerner and I will be publishing a book later this year about this problem and will offer some very specific practical guidelines that should have a major impact on this epidemic.
Until the book comes out I have three powerful recommendations to any children you have:
TV is one of the most pernicious influences on health and I couldn't recommend stopping it more strongly. Not only will it decrease your child's activity level, but also it will expose them to commercials promoting worthless foods. Parents need to step in and set guidelines as to how much TV their children should watch and also encourage them to participate in sports or other physical activities instead of watching TV.
Interestingly, cutting out the TV will also decrease their risk of going into debt.
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