According to the 2022 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the average daily beverage intake for children and adolescents (ages 1-18) is about 266mL. Is it okay to leave our children’s beverage consumption as it is? Today, let’s uncover some important facts for a healthy child’s future.
Children and Adolescents Who Drink a Lot of Beverages Are at Risk of Diabetes
Are you worried about children consuming a lot of sugary drinks and fruit juices? According to an analysis of 455 children by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Medical School research team, daily consumption of 8 ounces (about 236mL) of sugary drinks increases insulin resistance by 34%. Fasting blood sugar increased by 5.6mg/dL and hemoglobin A1c increased by 0.17% in late adolescence. Daily consumption of the same amount of fruit juice also increased hemoglobin A1c by 0.07% in late adolescence. On the other hand, daily consumption of fresh fruit did not affect the risk of developing diabetes.
Exceeding the Recommended Intake with Just One Drink
Beverages contain a lot of added sugars and almost no other nutrients. They are high in calories but do not provide satiety. From a nutritional standpoint, there is no need to consume these beverages at all. Excessive consumption of such drinks increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cavities.
The bigger problem is that even just one drink can easily exceed the recommended intake of sugars. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the intake of sugars for children and adolescents should not exceed 5% of total daily caloric intake. One commercially available drink in Korea contains an amount of sugars equivalent to this recommendation.
Developing the Habit of Checking Nutritional Content and Quality Certification Marks
Encourage children to develop the habit of checking nutritional labels. When choosing snacks, guide them to select products with lower sugar content. According to the Food and Drug Safety Administration (MFDS) research, people who check the nutritional labels on food packaging consume 6.5g less sugar than those who do not. It is also important to choose products that have received the ‘Quality Certification for Children’s Favorite Foods’ from the MFDS.
Choose Carefully for Your Children’s Health
It is crucial to be careful when choosing beverages for your children’s health. For children to grow up healthily, it is important to choose drinks that are low in sugar and high in nutritional value. Encourage limiting beverages and increasing the consumption of fresh fruits. Start making small changes today for a healthy future.
References
- Korean Medical Association, “Research Results for Preventing Diabetes in Children”
- World Health Organization, “Recommended Sugar Intake for Children and Adolescents”
- Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, “Quality Certification Standards for Children’s Favorite Foods”