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Sugar in children's diets – information for parents
Table of Contents
1. The Significance of a Healthy Diet for Children
An appropriate, balanced diet provides the child's body with required nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fats. These are indispensable for proper growth and development, tissue formation, bone fortification, and brain maturation. Children need the appropriate amount of energy and nutrients to grow and develop correctly. Healthy eating also plays a major role in preventing various diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dental problems, and many others. A balanced diet assists in maintaining a healthy body weight, managing blood sugar levels, and preserving dental health. Significantly, dietary habits are formed early in childhood and often continue throughout life. Therefore, it is crucial to instill healthy eating habits in children from a young age, for instance, by consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables, avoiding excessive sweets and carbonated drinks, and maintaining regular meal times.2. Categories of sugars
The European Food Safety Authority differentiates between two categories of sugar found in food products:3. Moderate addition of sugar
are deliberately added to foodstuffs during the manufacturing process or while preparing meals. They may be of natural origin (e.g. sucrose, i.e. table sugar, or glucose) or may stem from sugar syrups such as glucose-fructose syrup. Added sugars do not naturally occur in foodstuffs and are primarily used to enhance flavor, consistency, and increase the shelf life of the product. They are found in sweetened beverages, confectionery, snacks, jams, ready meals, or breakfast foods;4. Sugars occurring naturally in food
are present in food products in their natural form, they are not added by humans. Fructose found in fruit and honey, lactose and galactose present in milk and milk products, sucrose in sugar cane and beets, and glucose and maltose in cereal products can be distinguished. Naturally occurring sugars in foods are often accompanied by other nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals (EFSA 2022).5. The consequences of excessive sugar consumption
One of the most obvious effects of excessive sugar intake is weight gain, which is due to the fact that sugar-rich products often deliver high calories. Excessive body weight is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension or heart disease. However, it is also important to emphasize that sugar increases the risk of the development of these diseases in a more immediate way, either by causing excessive or excessive weight gain to the body, which can lead to an increase in the rate of heart disease and heart disease. Another negative effect of excessive sugar consumption is dental diseases, especially caries. When there is too much sugar in the diet, the bacteria present in the mouth transform it into acids that attack the enamel. The result of excessive sugar consumption is also a decrease in the pH of the mouth, which further promotes the activity of acids. When the pH is too low, the enamel begins to dissolve, which leads to tooth decay, or caries. The first symptoms may include pain when eating hot or cold foods, and as caries progresses, more serious ailments may occur, such as tooth nerve inflammation. Caries is a particularly important problem in children, as their teeth are more susceptible to damage than the teeth of adults. Excessive sugar supply can also lead to a sudden increase in blood glucose levels, which can lead to a short-term increase in energy and euphoria. However, after a short time, there is a sudden drop, which leads to fatigue, irritability and concentration problems. In addition, excessive sugar consumption can have a negative impact on the body. The excess sugar that is not used immediately for energy production is converted into fat and stored in the body. This can lead to disturbances in lipid metabolism, such as elevated triglyceride or cholesterol levels, which in turn further increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.6. Introducing Sugar into a Child's Diet - When and How Much?
According to their recommendations, later added sugar should be introduced into the baby's diet, the better, but it should definitely not be given to children under 1 year old. However, if sugar is added to the sweet taste from a young age, children may have difficulty accepting the flavours of other, less sweet products. If added sugar is introduced into a child's diets at an early age, there is a risk that it will be less likely to consume vegetables, fruits and other foods with a less salty taste. However, if milk is introduced from a young age, it should be difficult to consume too much milk. The maximum intake of fruits should not exceed 10% of the total energy intake of milk, and the greatest benefit is observed when this value does not exceed 5% (ESPGHAN 2018). For a 2-year-old child with a body weight of 12 kg, this corresponds to 4 teaspoons of sugar per day (including that contained in processed foods). Naturally occurring sugars, such as fructose in fruit and lactose in milk, can be introduced into the child's diet as soon as they start eating solid food. Fruits and dairy products are important components of the diet of infants and young children, but it is important to maintain variety and moderation. Fruit juices and sugar-sweetened beverages should be limited in the child's diet. It is recommended to avoid giving sweet drinks to infants and young children and instead encourage them to drink water. Sweets, cakes, ice cream and other sweet snacks should be treated as treats and given to the child occasionally, not as a regular part of the diet (C. Mameli, S. Mazzantini, G. V. Zuccotti 2016).7. How to effectively regulate sugar intake in children
Regulating the amount of sugar consumed by children is extremely important, yet it often poses a challenge. Fortunately, there are methods that can assist in this task.8. Healthy dietary routines initiated from a young age
Ensure healthy dietary routines are established from the outset. Provide your child with healthy and diverse meals that incorporate vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein, and dairy products. This teaches the child that a healthy diet is the standard.9. Steer clear of high-sugar beverages
Limit the intake of fruit juices and other beverages with high sugar content, such as carbonated drinks and energy drinks. Encourage your child to drink water as the main beverage. Water is the best way to ensure proper hydration and contains no added sugar.10. Assess the quantity of candy and snacks
Candies, cakes, ice cream, and high-sugar snacks should be given to your baby sporadically, not every day. Parents are advised to limit access to sweets at home and monitor the amount of sweets and snacks consumed.11. Check the labels
During grocery shopping, pay particular attention to product labels and seek out information regarding added sugar content. Some products that may appear healthy can contain a significant amount of sugar.12. Prepare your meals at home
Preparing meals in a home environment enables you to govern the ingredients you add to your dishes. This way, you can restrict the quantity of sugar in your meals and snacks.13. Options for healthy snacks
If your child requires a snack, opt for healthy alternatives such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and natural yogurt. These snacks are rich in nutrients and simultaneously contain less sugar than ready-made products.14. Regulate your consumption of sweetened breakfast cereals
Select breakfast cereals with low sugar content and avoid those that contain a lot of added sugar.15. Be a pattern
Children frequently model their behavior on that of adults. If you maintain a healthy lifestyle and regulate your sugar intake, your child will be more inclined to follow the same patterns.16. Discuss sugar restriction and healthy dietary choices with your child
Inform your child that sugar restriction is essential for their health and well-being. Make your child aware of the repercussions of consuming excessive sugar and encourage them to opt for healthier dietary choices. Emphasize that a balanced diet promotes overall physical and mental resilience, thus being crucial for good well-being and functioning. Help your child develop healthy eating habits that will benefit their health throughout their life.17. What about sugar substitutes?
However, studies are still ongoing on the long-term health effects of these artificial sweeteners. However, many years of research and evaluations by regulatory bodies such as the FDA in the United States and EFSA in Europe have shown that artificial sugar substitutes are considered safe for human health in quantities that fall within certain limits. Nevertheless, studies continue to investigate their long-lasting effects on health. The use of artificial sweetener may, however, have to influence children's taste preferences and the preference of a more intense alternative to a full-fledged source of sweetener. This may lead to a reduction in the intake of natural products, such as sugar, but it is not necessary. In the case of sugar and sugar, there may be a number of other health effects (such as the use of sugar as a food additive in children, which may be linked to the consumption of other food products such as dietary supplements or dietary diets).18. Summary
Controlling children's sugar intake is key to their health and development. Excessive sugar consumption, especially added sugar, can lead to health problems such as obesity, obesity and heart disease. Therefore, it is important to introduce healthy eating habits from an early age, limit sugary drinks and snacks, and strive for a sustainable diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy protein sources. However, sugar can be replaced with both artificial sweeteners and natural sweetening substances, remember to be moderate. The key is diversity and awareness, while controlling health is investing in the quantity of sugar in the future.
