As kids get older, they don't just get more candles on their birthday cake-- they seem to develop more of a sweet tooth, too.
A new study finds that kids' diets may be filled with too much added sugar. These are sweeteners that food and beverage makers add to their products. The researchers used national surveys that asked young people about the foods and drinks they'd had in the previous day.
Overall, about 16 percent of their calories came from added sugars. But the older they grew, the more sugar they ate and drank. Among preschoolers, about 13 percent of calories came from sugar. That rose to roughly 17 percent in teens and pre-teens. At all ages, boys took in more added sugar than girls.
The American Heart Association recommends that kids ages 4 through 8 should get only about three percent of their daily calories from added sugar. By the time they grow up and are eating like the average man or woman, added sugars should still account for less than 7 percent of their daily calories.
Sodas, candy, desserts, and sweet baked goods account for most of our added sugars. But parents should keep an eye out for more surprising sources, too, such as ketchup, bread, and other processed foods.
I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news that doctors are reading; health news that matters to you.
Source: www.nlm.nih.gov
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