Learn How to Reduce Sugar Intake in Children Early Before It’s Too Late!

As a parent, it is important to pay attention to the food and drinks consumed by your little one, including limiting sugar intake. Too much sugar intake can increase the risk of obesity and various other health problems that can inhibit growth. So, how do you reduce sugar consumption in children? Here’s the explanation.

How can children consume too much sugar?

Basically, children’s food intake is very dependent on the choices given by their parents.

Unfortunately, many parents do not realize that they often give their children high-sugar foods , such as sweetened drinks or simple snacks like candy.

Although it seems trivial, we need to be wary of this type of food and drink, because excessive sugar consumption is very dangerous for children’s health.

Did you know?

When a child’s body receives too much sugar, the sugar (sucrose) is broken down into glucose and fructose . Then the excessive sugar intake that is not used for energy will accumulate and be stored as body fat.

This accumulation of fat can lead to obesity, increasing the risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders.

Therefore, it is important for parents to know how to reduce sugar intake in children to maintain their health.

Children who are accustomed to consuming sweet foods are also often less interested in healthier foods, so they are at risk of malnutrition. 

Not only that, excessive sugar intake can also damage tooth enamel , which makes teeth easy to decay. These health problems certainly should not be underestimated, because they can interfere with the growth of your little one.

Knowing how to reduce sugar intake in children is the first step to preventing these various health risks and supporting your little one’s optimal growth and development.

How to reduce sugar intake in children?

To avoid the various negative impacts of excess sugar in children, there are several ways that parents can reduce their little one’s sugar intake.

1. Check the packaging label

Children, like adults, also have daily sugar intake limits recommended by health experts. The American Heart Association recommends that children consume no more than 25 grams of sugar per day.

By knowing these limits, parents can more easily estimate how much sugar their children consume each day. This can also be helpful when looking at the nutritional information table on the packaging label.

Generally, this table lists the sugar content in the product. By checking this information, you can more easily limit your little one’s sugar intake to keep it in line with their daily needs.

2. Reduce sugar intake gradually

As a first step to reduce sugar in children, it is better to do it slowly, not drastically. Sudden changes can make it difficult for children to adjust their diet.

If your child is used to high-sugar foods, reduce them gradually. Give them time to adapt to the new habit.

For example, if a child has eaten candy during the day, he is not allowed to consume other types of sweet foods .

3. Improve your child’s eating schedule

Setting a meal schedule is also an effective way to reduce sugar in children. If your child is used to snacking more than three times a day, try to slowly reduce it to twice a day.

The selection of snack types also needs to be considered, it is better to choose nutrient-dense and low-sugar snacks so that children’s health is maintained. In addition, avoid giving snacks before main meal times.

This habit can make children full first and reluctant to eat more nutritious main meals. By setting a snack schedule, children’s sugar intake can be more easily controlled.

4. Balance with physical activity

Basically, children can consume sweet foods as long as they are within reasonable limits and balanced with physical activity.

You can get used to inviting your child to do physical activities that they like at least 2-3 times a week.

Physical activities such as playing in the park or playground , as well as gymnastics on weekends , can help you get your child used to being active in sports .

5. Carefully select the intake consumed and limit it

Choosing the right intake is one important way to reduce sugar in children.

In addition to providing real food (natural food), try providing healthy snacks with a natural sweet taste, such as fruit or milk without artificial sweeteners and added sugar.

Balanced nutritional intake will support children to be more active and creative during their growth and development. With quality intake, children can grow to be #MoreThanOrdinary, ready to be active and creative every day.