If you find that your kid is having bouts of hyperactivity followed by lulls of cranky tiredness, it’s probably because sugars make up 16 percent of their diet. That’s about 362 calories from added sugars for boys and about 282 calories for girls. In the teen years it increases to 442 calories for ages 12 through 19.
That’s not all the study, done by the CDC, found out.
- Non-Hispanic white children and adolescents consume a larger percent of their calories from added sugars than do Mexican-American children and adolescents.
- There was no difference in consumption of added sugars by income among children and adolescents
This is an important finding, at least in my opinion, because many people blame unhealthy eating on income; that those with lower income tend to eat fatty, sugary foods. And those with lower income are often minorities. These findings show that income might not have as big of a role in eating healthy as we thought. Although it is more expensive to buy organic, perhaps there are still other factors at play that affect the types of foods people eat.
In the middle ages, the rich often at sugary foods and no vegetables. The rich today still likes it just as sweet.
Other findings:
- More added sugars calories came from foods rather than beverages.
- More added sugars calories were consumed at home rather than away from home.
The fact that more added sugars are coming from the home is also disturbing to me. Home should be a haven for children. Parents should be protecting their children and providing for their children, and that includes providing them healthy, nutritional meals and snacks.
What's for Dinner Ma? 