When new federal guidelines were issuedrecently on how much, or how little, processed sugarinfants and toddlers should consume, parents might have understandably rolled their eyes.
The recommendation was zero. That’s right, nada.
In their first guidance for this age group, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health jointly published recommendations in December that infants and toddlers under 2 should consume no processed sugar. Their rationale: Research has linked sugar consumption to childhood obesity and future ailmentssuch as heart disease. The recommendations also urgedthat babies to age 6monthsconsume only breast milk.
Eliza Lagerquist, a dietitian at UW Medical Center – Montlake, said the guidelines mightnot be as onerous as they seem at first glance.
“They did seem sort of shocking, but when you read into them, they are focusing on added sugar in food,” she noted. “For kids under 2, you need to realize: They eat so little actual foodthat thefood they doeat should not be junk food or sweets.”
Many foods considered "healthy,"including yogurt, granola, and fruit juices, can contain high volumes of hidden sugars. Sweeteners are also added to breads, pasta, sauces, salad dressings and crackers.The recommended daily allowanceof sugar for children ages 2 to 3 is24 grams, or 2 tablespoons.
“I think these guidelines are a way for the entire family togeton board with a healthy diet,” she said.
It will require work by parents – either making more meals and snacks from scratch or carefully reading food labels, she said. Parents should scrutinize ingredient lists for references to brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, and sucrose, according to a reportfrom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
These guidelines will help people think more about what they eatand feed their young children“rather than just blindly buying whatever is out there,” Lagerquist suggested.
“This all might be harder on older siblingswho already have their preferences in place,"she said. “But for the younger ones, they are going to eat and develop their preferences from what you feed them.”
Lagerquist acknowledged that humans arewired to like sweet tastes. But that desirecan be satisfied with an orangerather than orange soda. And the new guidelines don’t mean there’s been a ban on birthday cakes or treats.
“Deliberately keep the added sugar to sweets you chooserather than havingthe added sugars in your bread or pasta sauce,” she said.
–Barbara Clements -253-740-5043, bac60@uw.edu
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