Page 60 - Today's Dietitian (February 2020)

News Bites

Health organizations in the United
States promulgate guidelines that rec-
ommend limiting sugar intake to 9 tsp
or less for adult men and 6 tsp or less
for adult women and children between
2 and 19. With no comparable research
available for infants and toddlers prior
to this study, only one organization, the
American Heart Association, provided
any guidance for children younger than
2. “Our study’s findings about infant and
toddler diets should raise awareness
among health organizations and practi-
tioners and inform future guidelines and
recommendations,” Herrick says.
The investigators analyzed data for
1,211 infants and toddlers (6–23 months)
from the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey 2011–2016. They used
the Food Patterns Equivalents Database
and the USDA’s What We Eat In Ameri-
ca’s list to categorize foods. Sugars con-
tained in breastmilk and formula weren’t
included in the consumption estimates.
The results showed that infants con-
sumed about 1 tsp of added sugars daily
(equivalent to about 2% of their daily
caloric intake), while toddlers con-
sumed about 6 tsp of sugars (about 8%
of their daily caloric intake). No dif-
ferences were detected in added sugar
Added Sugar Intake Too consumption by sex, family income
level, and head of household, but there
High for Infants, Toddlers were some distinctions by race/His-
panic origin; non-Hispanic Asian tod-
A new study in the Journal of that most infants and toddlers con- (3.7 tsp), and non-Hispanic black tod-
dlers consumed the fewest added sugars
sume added sugars. This has important
the Academy of Nutrition and
dlers consumed the most added sugars
(8.2 tsp). The top food sources of added
Dietetics found that nearly
public health implications, since previ-
two-thirds of infants (61%)
snacks and sweets, and sweet bakery
terns established early in life shape later
and almost all toddlers (98%) ous research has shown that eating pat- sugars for infants included yogurt, baby
consumed added sugars in their average eating patterns,” explains lead investiga- products. For toddlers, the top sources
daily diets, primarily in the form of fla- tor Kirsten A. Herrick, PhD, MSc, of the included fruit drinks, sweet baked prod-
vored yogurts (infants) and fruit drinks Division of Health and Nutrition Exami- ucts, and sugar and candy.
(toddlers). Infants were 6–11 months old, nation Surveys at the National Center According to Herrick, parents should
and toddlers were 12–23 months old. for Health Statistics, part of the Cen- be mindful of added sugar levels in
The analysis documented some good ters for Disease Control and Prevention. the foods chosen when weaning their
news in the decline over the study period She cited an earlier study that found infants. “The transition from a milk-
(2005–2006 and 2015–2016) in the per- that 6-year-olds who had consumed any based diet (breastmilk and formula) to
centage of infants and toddlers whose sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) before table foods has an impact on nutrition,
daily diets include added sugars, as well age 1 were more than twice as likely to taste preference, and eating patterns.
as the amounts they consumed. Yet the consume an SSB at least once a day com- More work is needed to understand this
widespread intake points to a serious pared with 6-year-olds who hadn’t con- critical period.” She recommends dis-
and persistent problem: the early devel- sumed any before age 1. cussing which solid foods to introduce
opment of eating patterns associated Herrick notes, “Previous research into during weaning with a child’s health
with negative health conditions. the diets of children over 2 years old associ- care provider and pointed to the Nutri-
“Our study, which is the first to look ated sugar consumption with the develop- tion Facts label as another resource to
at trends in added sugars consump- ment of cavities, asthma, obesity, elevated support informed decisions.
tion by infants and toddlers, documents blood pressure, and altered lipid profiles.” SOURCE: ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS

60 TODAY’S DIETITIAN • FEBRUARY 2020