It is time to go back to school… It is also a great opportunity for kids to make a fresh start and may be the right time to adopt long-term healthy eating habits to help them succeed in this new school year.
Excessive sugars intake is a public health issue and the World Health Organization recommends limiting the consumption of added or free sugars to a maximum of 10% of the daily calories in both children and adults. A recent report from the French health agency ANSES (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail) warned against excessive sugars intake in children aged 4 to 17: 75% of 4-7 year-olds, 60% of 8-12 year-olds and 25% of 13-17 year-old have excessive sugars intake in France.
A review of data available in different European countries on sugar consumption and sources of sugar intakes showed that:
- In all countries included in the study, free sugars represent more than 10% of children’s daily calories.
- Yogurt contributes for less than 8% of children’s total sugar intake, while sweetened products and beverages are the main contributors.
Thus, swapping a sweet snack for a yogurt is a great way to give kids a healthy and nutrient-dense snack while reducing their total daily intake of sugars.
Sources:
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ANSES, 2019, Repères alimentaires pour les populations spécifiques : Enfants, femmes enceintes & allaitantes, personnes âgées, Dossier de presse.
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Azaïs-Braesco V et al., A review of total & added sugar intakes and dietary sources in Europe, Nutr J 2017 Jan; 16(1):6.
