Kids and Sugar

Forty percent of kids’ diets come from empty calories.
Reduce sugar and fat by keeping soda out of the house and feeding them fruit.


Have you ever wondered how nutritious your children’s diet is? Maybe you’ve always assumed that your kids eat relatively healthfully. But those little snacks and sips of fruit punch add up.

A new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that almost 40 percent of kids’ calories come from fat and added sugars. Those empty calories are derived mostly from soda, fruit drinks, pizza, pastries and baked goods, and dairy desserts. Sugar-sweetened drinks alone accounted for 10 percent of their calories.

Even if your kids are thin, added sugar can contribute to early cardiovascular disease and hardening of the arteries. Swap out sweetened beverages for plain old water. If your kids balk, offer them seltzer and grape juice, gradually phasing out the grape juice until it’s mostly seltzer. Have lots of fresh fruit available, and don’t keep junk food in the house. Make healthy food fun by offering fruit kabobs with yogurt dipping sauce or homemade frozen yogurt pops.