Children should eat less than 35 grams of sugars daily

New recommendations have suggested that children should limit their intake of added sugars to 25 grams daily. This relates to less than six teaspoons, these recommendations also suggest that children under the age of 2 should not consume food or drinks with added sugar. Dr Miriam Vos, lead author of the study that produced the recommendations, is a nutrition scientist and associate professor of paediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr Vos cited increased risk factors for heart disease, obesity and elevated blood pressure as main reasons for her recommendations.

Added sugars are defined as any sugars that are used in processing or preparation of food or beverages, even if added at the table. One of the most common sources of added sugars are sugar-sweetened beverages. The authors claim that there has been a lack of clarity and consensus regarding how much added sugar is considered ‘safe’ for children, and whilst the average consumption is high, so is the rate of childhood overweight and obesity. They hope that by performing this research and providing robust scientific evidence they can help to clarify what quantities of sugar should be consumed.