“Children make a choice based on what tastes good,” says Janet Lockau, a clinical associate professor at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

“Fruit punches and other sweet drinks, including some energy drinks, replace water, milk and fruit in their diets. Children only eat so many calories in a day. It is important that they use their calories on nutritious foods.”

Knowing how much is too much can be difficult for parents.  However, resources such as Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide can help parents make sure that their kids get the nutrients needed for good health.

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Children’s Health Affected
Heidi Bates, a registered dietitian, agrees that sugary snacks and drinks can bump out more nutritious foods. “Children are not short adults. They have different nutrient needs and fill up quickly. There is a risk that they are running short in the key food groups needed for optimal growth and development.”

The WebSpan Survey, a recent research study of Alberta youth (grade seven through ten boys and girls) shows that one quarter of children’s calories are from food not found in the four main food groups, says Bates.

As well, data from the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2004 backs this up: 22 per cent of the calories taken in by children and youth between the ages of 4 and 18 come from foods that are so-called “other” foods. The most commonly consumed foods in this category include sugars, syrups and preserves, high-calorie drinks, and snack foods such as chocolate bars.

Whole Fruit Is Better Than Juice
Making healthy food choices is not always as simple as it might appear.  Juices are a prime example.  While fruit juices provide nutrients they are also relatively high in both sugar and calories.  As a result, eating fruit is always recommended over drinking juice.

“A piece of fruit has fibre, which you need.” says Bates, “The gummy style fruit snacks that are marketed to children contain a minimal amount of fruit, and this is confusing to people. The packaging suggests these sweet treats are the same as fruit, which is not really the case.”

The high availability of sugary treats and drinks pose challenges for parents who are trying to control their children’s sugar intake.

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“There are many opportunities for children to eat foods that are high in sugar and low in other nutrients,” says Bates. “It’s not a problem if a child has a treat once in a while. It’s the frequency of how often they have foods and beverages that are rich in sugar that is problematic. At school, at home, at birthday parties—sugary snacks and soft drinks are everywhere.”

While sugar in and of itself is not linked to any health problem except tooth decay, research has shown that sugar-sweetened drinks have been linked to weight gain and a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) in children and teens.

Tooth Health Is Important
As well, Janet Lockau says tooth decay is not something for parents to take lightly. Eating too much sugar can cause children problems with their teeth.

“Bacteria in the mouth uses sugars in foods to produce acid and the acid dissolves enamel,” she says. For example, a single can of pop contains up to 10 teaspoons of sugar. To have healthy teeth, eat a well-balanced diet and avoid too much snacking between meals especially on sticky, sweet things, Lockau says.

How to Cut Back on Sugar
Lowering how much sugar you and your children eat isn’t as hard as you might think.

“Small changes can create an environment right away that pushes people to make different choices in how they eat,” Bates says.

Here are some options:

• When grocery shopping, stock up on nutritious beverages and snacks that are low in sugar.  Examples include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain cereals. Make the healthy choice the easy choice.
• Don’t keep foods like candy, soft drinks, energy drinks or sugary cereals in your home.    By making it more difficult to access these kinds of foods, your children will automatically choose them less often. 
• Want to reward your child for a job well done or an accomplishment that matters?  Share an afternoon at the park, the pool or the skating rink.  Active rewards build memories and fun that foods like candy just can’t duplicate.

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Be a Role Model
“Simple choices that we make every day greatly affect our health and our children’s health,” says Bates. “Parents are the gatekeepers in the home. You have to be a good role model for your kids.”

 “I talk to kids all the time about healthy eating. They want to be fit and healthy. They just need support from the adults around them”.

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Learn More
Sugar Shocker Education Kit
Alberta Health Services provides helpful advice on teaching school-age and preschool children about the amount of sugar found in common foods and ideas for healthy alternatives.

Foods Concentrated in Sugar
A wide variety of foods contain relatively large amounts of sugar. Alberta Health Services offers a comprehensive list of foods that are concentrated in sugar to help consumers make healthy choices.

Healthy Drinks—Healthy Kids
Find out which drinks you should limit and which drinks you can offer your child on a daily basis.

Canada’s Food Guide
The section of the food guide on choosing foods for children can give you some ideas on how to make sure they get the nutrients they need to grow and thrive.

Choosing a Healthy Breakfast Cereal
Some breakfast cereals contain as much as 3 teaspoons (15 ml) of sugar in a 1 cup (250 ml) serving and few other nutrients. Learn how to choose a healthy breakfast cereal for your child with information from New Brunswick Health.