Why kids shouldn’t eat added sugar before they turn 2, according to a nutritional epidemiologist

It was a decade ago that I tried to spoon-feed my 9-month-old daughter, sitting in her highchair, a pureed vegetable. No matter what I tried to spoon-feed her, it always came out.

Imagine her eating applesauce. She would open her lips after every bite and bounce on her chair. I almost danced with her. This was much easier! Just keep going! As a nutrition epidemiologist, I was aware that purely satisfying her sweet tooth would not be beneficial to her long-term health.

At the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, I study the effects of poor nutrition on mothers and children. Recently, I served as a member of a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Committee that summarized the guidelines for feeding infants and young children until age 2. I was part of a committee that wrote a report on sugary drinks and adding sugar to beverages for young children. Spoiler alert: I’m going to tell you what it is! Experts recommend that infants should not be given any added sugar, and children between 12-24 months of age should have very little or no sugar.

Added Sugars are sugars or syrups added to food during preparation, processing, or at the table. These can be either natural sweeteners like honey or artificial sweeteners like high-fructose Corn Syrup. The most common sources of added sugars are yogurt, baby snacks, and fruit drinks.

We should limit or eliminate the natural sugars added to food, as well as artificial sweeteners, from the diet of children. But why?

Calories and nutrients are essential for proper growth and development from birth until 24 months. Sugary foods and drinks provide many calories but few nutrients. Foods with added sugars are not recommended for children between the ages of birth and 24 months because they consume relatively little food. Foods high in nutrients are essential for a healthy diet. When kids fill up with high-calorie or sugary foods and drinks, they have less room to eat nutritious food.

The health of children who consume a diet high in sugar is more affected than those with a lower intake. This includes childhood weight gain, heart disease, and decayed teeth.

Long term food preferences are also influenced by the diet from birth until 24 months. Sugar is hard-wired into our brains because it builds up fat and keeps us from starving in times of scarcity. It can teach children to accept foods that are high in nutrients, like vegetables, if offered to them repeatedly in the early years of childhood. Early in life, children can benefit from a healthy diet by establishing a pattern.

Try again if your child does not like vegetables at first.

Here are some tips to help parents and caregivers limit or eliminate sugar intake in babies and young children.

• Check the label of your food.

Before you buy, check the nutritional facts label to see how much sugar is added. Labels list the “Total Sugars” and below that, the “Added Sugars.” For example, an 8-ounce glass of chocolate milk contains about 15 grams of sugar added, whereas regular cow’s dairy milk does not.

• Switch to healthier beverages.

Replace sugary drinks (either with milk or water, depending on your child’s age) or substitute them for milk or water. Limit or eliminate sugary drinks like soda, flavored drinks, Kool-Aids, fruit juices with less than 100 percent fruit, sports drinks, or energy drinks.

• Ditch sugar during food prep

You can prepare healthy food for your child without adding any sugar.

• Many different names know sugar

Sweetened foods are often listed in the name of packaged food, for example, sweetened applesauce or sweetened peaches. Sugar isn’t always easy to detect. Yogurt is one of the many foods that contain sugars. Additions sugars are known by many names: high-fructose syrup, fruit concentrates, cane syrup, corn sweetener (or corn sugar), lactose syrup, glucose syrup, sucrose syrup, and maple syrup. Always check the ingredients.

• Sugar lurks in many packaged and store-made foods.

When you give your child foods or beverages that are packaged or prepared in a store, like dry cereals, fruit pouches, or baby food jars, there should be little or no sugar added.

• Repeat the process as often as possible.

Children need to be exposed to bitter foods, such as vegetables, over and over again. Children need to taste foods at least 30 times to learn to enjoy them.

As a registered nutritionist and dietitian who counsels families, but also as the mother of three children, I’ve learned that cutting down on added sugars isn’t as simple as professionals make it sound. It may not be possible for some people due to the high cost of healthy food or limited access. For some people, pressing needs may override a healthy diet. Fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and other fast-food outlets are everywhere.

Don’t make all these changes at once. Try the first one that is most possible. Add another gradually. It’s normal to fall off of a good habit. It’s important to get back on track and try again.