A new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics, published by Elsevier, found that nearly two-thirds of infants
(61 percent) and almost all toddlers (98 percent) consumed added sugars in
their average daily diets, primarily in the form of flavored yogurts (infants)
and fruit drinks (toddlers). Infants were 6-11 months, and toddlers were 12-23
months.
The analysis documented some good news in the decline
over the study period (2005-6 and 2015-16) in the percentage of infants and
toddlers whose daily diets include added sugars, as well as the amounts they
consumed. Yet the widespread intake points to a serious and persistent problem:
the early development of eating patterns associated with negative health
conditions.
"Our study, which is the first to look at trends
in added sugars consumption by infants and toddlers, documents that most
infants and toddlers consume added sugars. This has important public health
implications since previous research has shown that eating patterns established
early in life shape later eating patterns," explained lead investigator
Kirsten A. Herrick, PhD, MSc, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination
Surveys, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Hyattsville, MD, USA. She cited an earlier study that found that
6-year-olds who had consumed any sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) before the age
of one were more than twice as likely to consume an SSB at least once a day
compared to 6-year-olds who had not consumed any before the age of one.
Dr. Herrick noted, "Previous research into the
diets of children over two years old associated sugar consumption with the
development of cavities, asthma, obesity, elevated blood pressure and altered
lipid profiles."
Health organizations in the United States promulgate
guidelines that recommend limiting sugar intake to 9 tsp or less for adult men,
and 6 tsp or less for adult women and children between 2 and 19. With no
comparable research available for infants and toddlers prior to this study,
only one organization, the American Heart Association, provided any guidance
for children under age 2. "Our study's findings about infant and toddler
diets should raise awareness among health organizations and practitioners and
inform future guidelines and recommendations," she added.
The investigators analyzed data for 1,211 infants and
toddlers (6-23 months) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES) 2011-2016, a nationally representative study conducted by the
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They used the Food Patterns
Equivalents Database and the United States Department of Agriculture's What We
Eat In America's list to categorize foods. Sugars contained in breast milk and
formula were not included in the consumption estimates.
The results showed that infants consumed about 1
teaspoon (tsp) of added sugars daily (equivalent to about 2 percent of their
daily caloric intake), while toddlers consumed about 6 tsp of sugars (about 8
percent of their daily caloric intake). No differences were detected in added
sugars consumption by sex, family income level, and head-of-household, but
there were some distinctions by race/Hispanic origin: non-Hispanic Asian
toddlers consumed the fewest added sugars (3.7 tsp) and non-Hispanic black
toddlers consumed the most added sugars (8.2 tsp). The top food sources of
added sugars for infants included yogurt, baby snacks and sweets, and sweet
bakery products. For toddlers, the top sources included fruit drinks, sweet
baked products, and sugar and candy.
According to Dr. Herrick, parents should be mindful of
added sugars levels in the foods chosen when weaning their infants. "The
transition from a milk-based diet (breast milk and formula) to table foods has
an impact on nutrition, taste preference, and eating patterns. More work is
needed to understand this critical period." She recommends discussing
which solid foods to introduce during weaning with a child's healthcare
provider and pointed to the Nutrition Facts label as another resource to
support informed decisions. While the federal requirement to include added
sugars content of a food or beverages on the Nutrition Facts label is not
mandatory until January 2020, many labels already include this information.
In September 2019, the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics joined the American Heart Association, the American Academy of
Pediatric Dentistry, and the American Academy of Pediatrics to recommend breast
milk, infant formula, water, and plain milk as part of a new set of
comprehensive beverage recommendations for children, outlined by age (birth
through age 5). They caution against beverages that are sources of added sugars
in young children's diets, including flavored milks (e.g., chocolate,
strawberry) and sugar- and low-calorie sweetened beverages, in addition to a
wide variety of beverages that are on the market and targeted to children that
provide no unique nutritional value.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Elsevier. Note: Content may be
edited for style and length.
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