From gummy worms to lollipops to ice cream, kids seem to love foods made with sugar. However, an excess intake of sugar in kids can cause a number of problems -- including early cravings for the sweet stuff -- that may affect your child for life. Helping your child view sugar as a special treat, not a part of his everyday diet, can help him stay healthy.
Increased Cavity Risk
Excess sugar intake can contribute to cavities because sugar-containing foods create a hospitable environment in your child's mouth for cavity-causing bacteria to grow. This is true for all sugars, including those added to desserts, candy and fruit juice. To reverse the effects of sugar, have your child brush her teeth after meals and drink plenty of fluoridated water to reduce the risk for cavities.
Increased Obesity Risk
Your child gains weight when he takes in more calories than he can burn off in a day. Sugar itself contains calories and is often added to high-calorie foods like cookies, cakes and pies. Sugar also is added to "empty calorie" food sources like fruit juices and sweetened milk. Your child may drink these and take in a high amount of calories, yet still feel hungry. Drinking one sugary drink most days of the week increases your child's obesity risk, according to the website Parenting.com. Restricting sugar intake in favor of healthy choices like fresh fruits, whole grains and vegetables can help your child maintain a healthy weight.
Lack of Proper Nutrients
If your child is eating and drinking lots of sugary foods, she probably is eating less of other healthy foods. When kids eat a lot of foods with added sugar, they are more likely to miss out on important foods sources like protein and fiber. Your child needs nutrients to support her growing body. Calcium intake can be especially low in children who consume a significant amount of added sugars, according to CBS News. Because your child needs calcium to build healthy bones, this could potentially affect her development.
Recommended Intake
It is difficult, if not impossible, to enforce a completely sugar-free diet for your child, and when eaten in moderation, sugar can still be a small part of your child's diet. While there's no magic number for sugar intake, start by limiting the obvious high-sugar sources like candy, sugar-sweetened beverages and cookies. After that, read food labels carefully for signals that sugars have been added; look for ingredients like "sucrose" or "high-fructose corn syrup."
References
- Parenting; Sugar: Does It Really Make Kids Hyper?; Jessica Snyder Sachs
- Kids Health; Carbohydrates, Sugar, and Your Child; October 2010
- CBS News; Kids Eat Too Much Added Sugar; Lloyd de Vries; February 2009
- American Heart Association; Sugars and Carbohydrates; 2011
- Medical News Today; Frequency of Sugar Consumption Is the Scariest Thing About Halloween; October 2008
- In-Pulse CPR; Sugar Intake Linked to Obesity; Carin Mangimeli
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