 A
new study uncovered another contributing factor to the rising childhood
obesity rates: The amount of added sugars in your child's diet. The
well-being of preschoolers is being seriously compromised as those
who consumed higher amounts of added sugars in their diets were reported
to receive less calories from healthy food sources such as those rich
in fiber, vitamins and minerals. This means the more added sugars
from sodas and sweets in kids' diets, the fewer the number of good
nutrients their bodies get in order to remain healthy.
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
- U.S. food guide pyramid: 6 to 10 percent of their total calories
- World Health Organization: Less than 10 percent of total calories
- National Academy of Sciences: People could get as much as 25
percent of their total calories from added sugars
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
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