Health Minute: Almost All US Children Eat Too Much Sugar

Cropped Photo: Ryan Johnson / North Charleston / CC BY-SA 2.0

NEW YORK – You might want to rethink some of the things you reach for when it comes to feeding your kids.

According to a new analysis of national data, 98-percent of toddlers and two-thirds of infants consume added sugars in their daily diets.


Which as far as the American Heart Association is concerned, is 98-percent too many.

It recommends children under the age of two stay away from all added sugars, including sweeteners that don’t occur naturally in food.

According to the analysis, on average infants consumed one teaspoon of added sugar per day, while toddlers consumed about six teaspoons per day.



For infants, that often comes from yogurt and baby snacks or sweets.

Toddlers got much of their extra sugar from fruit drinks and bakery sweets.

The National Institute of Health says children who consume added sugars can see some negative health conditions like cavities, asthma, and obesity.

 



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