Children's diets in this country contain very additional sugar, a new study shows.
Many American children consume greatly added sugar almost so they begin to eat solid foods. They are also not getting enough calcium and other nutrients, since sugary foods usually eat healthier fare, they say the researchers say. The long-term consequences may include greater risk of obesity, heart disease and dental cavities. Food habits adopted in childhood can be difficult to change. Just ask Sibylle Kranz, PhD, Rd. She is a registered dietetry and assistant teacher of Nutritional Sciences at the State University of Pennsylvania, and she has the sugary spoon in the smallest eaters in the country.Kranz and colleagues traced sugar intake added in 2 and 5 years of age. Data came from children's food surveys conducted by the US Department of Agriculture in the 1990s. Detailed surveys than more than 5,400 children over two days.
The researchers focused on added sugar categories. Sugar is an added ingredient to many foods during processing or preparation. The study also included sugars eaten separately, such as sweets or those added on the table, including syrup, and brown and white table sugar.
The researchers analyzed the main food sources of sugar added in preschool children, including biscuits, soft drinks, sweets and juices.
They did not include the natural types of sugars, such as fructose found in foods such as fruits, or galactose, a type of sugar found in dairy products.
Diet Zero Sugar - Kids' Diets Have Too Much Added Sugar
All that added sugar seemingly pushed more nutritious foods from children's plates. The most added sugar on a child's diet, less likely diet contained grains, vegetables, fruits and dairy.
"Children with the highest level of added sugar admission have had the lowest consumption of most nutrients and portions of grains, vegetables, fruits and dairy," the researchers say in the January of Pediatrics issue.
Children who have received most of their added sugar calories, consumed significantly fewer calories of proteins and fats, ate less fibers and fell into many nutrients. For example, calcium intake was very low in 40% of younger children and about 70% of older children who consume more added sugar.
Even those who ate the least added sugar (less than 10% of the daily calories) often did not receive enough calcium.
Sugar guidelines added chains can be very liberal, say researchers. Note that the National Academy of Sciences recommends more than 25% of the daily calories of added sugar. That could be too much for preschoolers, let's say researchers, asking for long-term studies.
The stricter limits come from the Food Pyramid of the USDA and the World Health Organization. The USDA recommends the sugar added by 6% -10% of the daily calories. The World Health Organization advises receiving less than 10% of the daily calories of adding sugar.Want to limit the added sugar intake of children? Look beyond the biscuit pot. Lemonade, 10% of fruit juices, ice cream, pies, cakes, soda and sugary cereals were also popular sources in the study.
They say that the limitations of additional sugar intake can result in higher and nutrient diets.
