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Sweetened cereals likely contribute to the extra sugars American kids consume at home, researchers say.
America’s intake of sugary foods and drinks has dropped in recent years, but U.S. kids are still consuming too much, government researchers say.
Contrary to popular belief, most of that sweet fare is coming from home, not from school or other settings, the researchers reported in a new study released by the National Center for Health Statistics.
For parents, that means that it’s even more important to monitor added sugars in kids’ diets, even those that aren’t so obvious.
“Added sugars are in sugar sweetened cereals, muffins -- even pasta sauce,” said Cynthia Ogden, the study’s co-author and an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “You can see it if you read the food labels.”
The report, which tracked consumption of added sugars by children and teens from 2005 to 2008, offered other unexpected findings, said Ogden.
Researchers also found that family income made no difference in children’s sugary diets.
“We found that all kids are eating a lot of added sugars,” she said.
Most of those sugars came from foods rather than beverages, another surprise, Ogden said.
Overall, about 16 percent of the calories in the average American child’s diet came from “added sugars” -- sweeteners used in the making of foods such as breads, cakes, soft drinks, jams, chocolates and ice cream.
What’s scary is that the sweets count didn’t include naturally occurring sugars in items such as fruit and fruit juice.
The good news is that in teens, at least, consumption of added sugars appears to have declined a bit, from 22 percent to 17 percent of total calories, Ogden said.
Still, that’s higher than federal dietary guidelines, which recommend that the total intake of discretionary calories, including added sugars and solid fats, be limited to 5 percent to 15 percent of daily caloric intake.
Dr. Wendy Slusser, a weight control expert, suspects that some of the new study’s findings might be explained by successful campaigns to get sugary drinks out of schools.
"Other studies have shown that a good proportion of added sugars are being consumed outside the home,” said Slusser, an associate clinical professor of medicine at the Mattel Children’s Hospital at the University of California, Los Angeles and medical director for the UCLA Fit for Healthy Weight Program at Mattel. “So we’re probably seeing a drop in consumption outside the home.”
That means the next focus for intervention may be helping parents to choose healthier options for their kids to eat at home, Slusser said.
“This is an opportunity for families,” Slusser said. “There are estimates now that we could shift children’s weights back to 1970s levels if we could just take 350 calories out of a kid’s diet each day.”
One place to look is beverages, Slusser said. Some of the biggest culprits are 10 percent fruit juice drinks and sports drinks.
“Parents think they’re doing what they’re supposed to when they give their kids sports drinks on a hot day,” she said. “If you substitute water for sugary drinks, that’s a huge step in the right direction.”
Another place to lower sugar levels is in breakfast cereals, Slusser said. “You might want to give them regular Cheerios instead of Honey Nut Cheerios,” she suggested.
Avoiding processed foods is another way to skip the added sugars, noted Ogden. Choosing fresh foods and carefully reading labels of packaged goods can help.
The best way to cut down on added sugars in a kid’s diet is to make healthy eating part of the family routine, Slusser said. Make sure to leave time for a good breakfast in the morning and plan ahead for healthy snacks after school and nutritious dinners at night.
“Once there’s a routine, parents can integrate healthier foods into their children’s diets,” she notes. “When you’re always eating on the fly, you end up eating too many processed foods.”
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Not to worry. Michelle and her government USDA gestapo will be coming around soon to confiscate your kid's lunch, tell your child what a miscreant you were for packing it, and then feed chicken nuggets to your little darlings all in the name of "healthy living." Oh, I almost forgot - the gestapo will then charge your kid for the privilege of eating the "approved" menu.
Question: Are we more unhealthy NOW, or back in the day when "sugar smacks" were still around (and made with a ton more sugar than the replacement is made with now).
I also found this funny. Two quotes directly from the article.
"Most of those sugars came from foods rather than beverages, another surprise, Ogden said."
"One place to look is beverages, Slusser said. Some of the biggest culprits are 10 percent fruit juice drinks and sports drinks."
Contradict yourself lately?
Look, a sugary cereal for breakfast is better than NOTHING for breakfast. Face it, kids don't like bran flakes, special K, grape nuts. They just won't eat it. (Most normal kids at least.) I think the best place to attack "too much sugar in diet" is lunch, dinner, and most importantly, snacks. Leave breakfast alone.
EDIT: And most importantly, get the kids outside to play. Lots of exercise means you won't have to put your kids on a "diet".
How did you come up with Michelle Obama wants your kids to eat more chicken nuggets? Oh, you just made it up. It would seem you are the more like the gestapo with your lies.
Somebody needs a hug. Huuuuuuuuuugggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why is it that Republicans want our children to be fat and unhealthy? What is wrong with encouraging our children to be healthy? Is it that you want to help health-care industry make more money? If fat idiots would stop making their children fat idiots (going to college is for snobs), the government wouldn't have to tell you what to do.
Rado, why do you think that you only should feed your child some sugary cereal at breakfast? Or any cereal for that matter? Why do you think loading them up with sugar in the morning is better then nothing? What's wrong with a high protein breakfast like eggs? If they won't eat it on the grounds that it doesn't taste like sugar, then they aren't hungry enough. Period. Giving them sugar in the morning sets them up to feel like they're starving before lunch even comes around.
Back in the day, there wasn't sugar in nearly everything. We didn't put HFCS in everything, and kids got out more. We ate way less. There were lots more real foods like vegetables and fruits and homemade meals on the table, not course after course of processed, frozen, microwaved mess. The vilification of any healthy fats in any of our food has caused companies to up the sugar content because otherwise it doesn't taste good.
And BTW311, there was an incident reported at either a school or daycare (I don't remember which) where the perfectly healthy meal that was sent along with a child was rejected by the school because it didn't meet all of their guidelines. So they fed her their own food instead. "Perfectly healthy" chicken nuggets. The poor girl only ate a couple of them.
Some policing needs to be done with the processed foods industry, considering how diabetes has almost become a national epidemic. There's no reason for sugar to even be added to most packaged foods. We should have the option of adding our own sugar, purchased separately, should we choose to do so.
Gsegal - Government "nutrition advice" is why the gov't shouldn't be telling us what to eat in the first place. The Food Pyramid (which has quietly morphed into "my plate") is NOT BASED ON ANY HARD CLINCIAL DATA - NONE. When we want to fatten livestock, we stuff 'em with grain. Now we are the "whole grain nation" - newsflash - even "healthy whole grain" turn to glucose pretty quickly. We have a nation of pre-diabetic and diabetic people who rely on grain, which is nutritionally deplete compared to vegetables, meat and fruit. Couple that with a 30 year war on dietary fat (again, based on no actual CLINCIAL data), and we lost one macronutrient that actually stabilizes blood sugar. Our tired, worn out pancrease eventually poops out from dealing with all of this excessive blood sugar and "wa-la" diabetes. If you don't believe any of this, you can get some glucose test strips and test yourself. Eat a bowl of cheerios or oatmeal and then test your blood sugar 30 minutes after eating. Do the same with a pop tart. You won't find a big difference. We've been sold a rotten bill of goods in this country, based strictly upon junk "science" of correlation/causation, turned into "infotainment".
I apprieciate the fact that Michelle has brought attention to the plight of children accross the country who (for whatever reason, usually poverty) end up eating the slop that passes as nutrition in public schools. I hated every single thing I had to eat in high school. I survived, but I wish that someone had cared more about what we were forced to eat 30 years ago.
It's no wonder our kids are unhealthy and overweight. Any parent who feeds their kids cereal that looks like the picture above is absolutely insane. It's not fit for human consumption.
And we go out to eat and tell the kids “Hey, they have free refills on soda! Make sure you drink as much as you can!” instead of saying “Only one cup of that nasty sugar water – no more.”
Everyone should watch Muffin Man (www.MuffinManTheMovie.com) to get an idea of what our society is going to look like in 30 years.
Muffin Man is a great piece of social commentary - I agree everyone should watch it.
It should have read "still too much high fructose corn syrup" being consumed.
I do know that my friends and I, born in the late 50's early 60's, drank 5 and 10 cent cans of soda all day and had no fat on our bodies. I only remember 4 people being overweight out of the 200 that were in my grade throughout k - k12.
At the same time we were much more active in those days..... Today I am really feeling those failed bicycle ramp jumps. lol
Hmm, yes, but back then we played outside all the time. I know I walked to school (about 15-20 mins each way), and when I got home my mom was there as were all the other moms. So all us kids were able to go out and play until dinner. In the summers we were outside again until well after dark. Weekends were spent out too.
While I'm sure the extra sugar today is part of the problem so it the lack of exercise. And to be honest I don't know the answer. Society has changed. Neighborhoods are less safe, our kids spend less time outside with friends. Even if one mom is a 'stay-at-home doesn't mean that others are.
I do know one thing that would help a lot - put PE back into the schools. Put recess back in. In this day and time school is just about the only place kids can get good exercise with others in a safe place.
Unhealthy food is cheaper than healthy. Look at the caloric break down. It costs something like $0.25 to get 100 calories worth of soda, but $1.50 to get 100 calories worth of fresh strawberries.
And that's the problem. A BIG problem. I'd rather see the government subsidize healthy food than corn syrup.
Solyent Green, coming to a school cafeteria soon.
that would be an improvement over what a lot of people are eating these days...
Recess, PE: yes yes yes!!! The learning process for children is integral with their bodies - let them learn to explore and research and adults, parents, you make it safe for them!!! It does take a village that cares, committed, involved, and protective against predators.
I am fortunate to live in a place where we can buy fresh produce and seafood year round and get outside! BUT - the movement is on and I am at the ground level to watch (administrate:); the grass roots movement to buy local and think global - we have sent trained folks home to your area to make it happen. NOW you need to, as a caring loving, nurturing parent, look (research) for the resources. I am talking about growth in local, organic, fresh produce. You can say it's expensive and you are correct, it only need be a small part of your child's diet (you could sacrifice if you have to - your done growing) And having been in poverty with young children, having fed numerous groups of children in a preschool (not day care) setting I know how far apples, oranges, (both sold in bags) bananas, peanut butter (for non allergic), whole grains, cheese, etc. go to obtain the balanced diet in a child to thrive (and get full!) and they do not need a high calorie intake to thrive - IT CAN BE DONE PEOPLE GET OUT THERE AND TRY. They don't need big meals, they love finger food, be creative or be simple, carrots in ranch dressing instead of chips, etc. Children don't get hungry when they have a diet that feeds their growing bodies not their sugar addiction. It starts in pregnancy and too much salt and sugar affects their tendencies. Breast feeding is ideal and hard to do if your working - it depends on the support you receive (from the village). Ah well, enough of this - no one listens - to high on sugar or low on heavy carbs...and TV of course.
Sugar: Life's first white granular powdery substance derived from nature that we learn to use to modify our mood and physical state. If that's not clear, what I'm saying is that sugar is a drug. It affects our bodies and our emotions. If you don't agree, you've probably never been to a children's birthday party with a dozen screaming kids all hopped up on cake and soda.
Sugar dependancy is basically an addiction, which for many people eventually leads to weight problems, often diabetes, and potentially very unpleasant health consequences. The cost of these health issues on a national scale is astounding. I do not have an exact dollar figure available, but it is huge; and we all, through higher cost of insurance premiums, are bearing the brunt of it.
Mikey - You go ahead and stop eating sugar. Oh yeah, stop eating potatoes too since they metabolize into sugar. Eat whatever you want and avoid whatever you don't want, just stay out of my cupboards and my kitchen.
You know what is astounding is that with virtually the entire population eating all this sugar that less than 10% of the population has diabetes. If sugar is so evil then why don't we have more people with that? Maybe more people are getting diabetes because they aren't out actually doing anything PHYSICAL instead. Maybe it's THEIR actions...or lack thereof, not sugar which is the problem.
Oh yeah, as far as insurance premium go....the disease isn't the reason the premiums go up. The reason premiums go up is that the cost of CARE goes up. Until you decide to deal with THAT instead of constantly dealing with the insurance premiums as the problem then you aren't accomplishing anything. Premiums will follow the cost of what is being insured. It's that simple. Ask yourself why our professional politicians however refuse to deal with THAT.
This sugar chit is so outtta wack!! Blame the sugar!! blah blah blah!! stop pumping all that other chit in cereal! Cant have a both of cereal in peace with out somebody coming out with dumb azz articles likes this! GEEEESSSSHHH!!!! Think I'll just eat a box of fruit loops straight to the head!
so the study found that this was a problem across all demographics? cause i was pretty sure at some time some republican saying that families on welfare fed nothing but junk to there families and that meant more regulation (or even cutting down/off) welfare recipients.
anyone remember that article awhile back where that chucky cheese employee was talking that they purposely added sugar to there pizza because kids loved it like that so much more? regardless of what you think of that kind of behind the scenes action, alot of stuff we eat only taste so good because of the added sugar. eat some potato chips with little to no salt to them and tell me you like them just as much. drink diet pop or beverages with no added sugar and tell me its just as good as its sugar variant. cant fool your taste buds!
robert - Actually it is liberals who complain that the poor only get junk food for their diets. Conservatives on the other hand insist that it is cheaper and better for you if you actually cook your own meals, freeze them for use later in the week and stay off the junk food. Liberals are the ones pushing to control YOUR diet, conservatives insist you should control your own diet (and that of your kids).
Just remember, no matter what you feed your kids today, someone will do a study tomorrow (or has one done already) that will tell you it is bad for them. Stop worrying about what you feed your kids and start worrying about why you don't have them outside playing and burning off the fat. When I grew up we ate diets that people tell us today should have made us all 300 pounders at age 10...odd that there were very few fat kids around. Why? Not because of what we ate it was because we were always outside riding our bikes, playing games, running around, and being active.
You want to cure obesity in this country? Make sure EVERY student spends at least a half hour or more at real, honest PE at school each day. Then when they get home, make sure they don't plop down in front of the computer screen, instead send them outside to play.
Are you serious? This isn't new news. We've known this all along.
Multiple factors contribute to obesity so eliminating specific foods or beverages will not solve this problem. Encouraging a balanced diet and including treats in moderation is a more realistic approach – this still gives people the freedom to make their own food and drink choices. As a dietitian I believe educating patients on nutrition and encouraging physical activity can give individuals the tools to make the best decision for themselves. Dictating what is good and bad will not.
Cristina Rivera MS, RD, CSSD, CDN
Registered Dietitian & Consultant to the food and beverage industry including Coca-Cola
Multiple factors contribute to obesity so eliminating specific foods or beverages will not solve this problem. Encouraging a balanced diet and including treats in moderation is a more realistic approach – this still gives people the freedom to make their own food and drink choices. As a dietitian I believe educating patients on nutrition and encouraging physical activity can give individuals the tools to make the best decision for themselves. Dictating what is good and bad will not.
Cristina Rivera MS, RD, CSSD, CDN
Registered Dietitian & Consultant to the food and beverage industry including Coca-Cola