Get rid of obesity in children! 5 common sugary drink myths

Children's Day is approaching on April 4th. A survey found that 48% of primary school children in the country drink sugary drinks at least once a week, which not only easily causes obesity but also affects the physical and mental health of young children. The National Health Administration points out that candy and sugary drinks are high-calorie, low-nutrition foods. Excessive sugar intake can cause metabolic abnormalities and tooth decay. It can also stimulate rapid insulin secretion and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, so it should not be underestimated.

The survey found that 48% of primary school children in the country drink sugary drinks at least once a week.

Chen Yanfang, head of the Community Health Group of the National Health Administration, pointed out that about one-third of elementary school children in the country are overweight. According to the "Survey on Changes in the Nutritional Health Status of Elementary School Students" (effective sample size 1,035 people), 48.2% of elementary school students drink sugary drinks at least once a week, and 19.5% of students drink them at least once a day; 41% of elementary school students eat sugar or chocolate at least once a week, and 7.8% of students eat them at least once a day.

Liquid candy is an important factor in obesity

Studies have found that long-term consumption of high-sugar foods may make people addicted, and it is as difficult to quit as alcohol addiction; it may also hinder children's intellectual development and affect their learning ability. Sugary drinks, which are especially popular among children, are almost entirely composed of water and sugar, so they are also called "liquid candy." They are often taken in the name of replenishing water, allowing excessive amounts of sugar to enter the human body unknowingly, causing obesity sequelae.

Taking cola and toffee commonly found in the market as examples, a 600 ml bottle of cola has a calorie content of 252 kcal, equivalent to the calories in 13 sugar cubes. Five 10-gram toffees have a calorie content of 220 kcal, equivalent to the calories in 11 sugar cubes. If you drink one more bottle of cola every day, you will gain about 1 kilogram in weight in a month.

The survey pointed out that about one-third of school children in the country are overweight, mainly due to excessive intake of sugary drinks.

[Five myths about sugary drinks]:

《Myth 1: It is healthier for young children to drink more fruit or vegetable juice than soda, coffee and other beverages. 》

Answer: This is basically correct, but these fruit and vegetable juices must be freshly squeezed and have no added sugar. In addition, juice intake must adhere to the daily serving limit to avoid excessive calorie intake. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not giving juice to children under 6 months old, 120 to 180 c.c. a day for children aged 1 to 6 years old, and 240 to 360 c.c. for children over 6 years old.

Myth 2: Children who are very active should drink more sports drinks that can balance electrolytes in their bodies. 》

Answer: In fact, sports drinks contain high levels of sugar and electrolytes and are not suitable for young children. When children sweat, they can replenish water by drinking boiled water. If you want to quickly replenish the water lost after diarrhea, you should also use the children's glucose electrolyte aqueous solution provided by the doctor for your child to drink.

"Myth 3: Flavored milk is a type of dairy product, and children can supplement calcium and nutrition by drinking more of it. 》

Answer: Although flavored milk is a dairy product, its calcium content is only about 1/3 of that of fresh milk, and its protein content is about 1/2 of that of fresh milk. In addition, it contains added sugar, so its nutritional value is far lower than that of fresh milk. If you want to supplement calcium from drinks, pure fresh milk is the best choice.

《Myth 4: The amount of yogurt or fermented milk is very small, and children will not consume too many calories if they drink more. 》

Answer: Many people think that lactic acid bacteria drinks that are advertised as health foods can help digestion and should be safe for children to drink. In fact, a small bottle of Yakult contains as much sugar as three sugar cubes. As long as the added sugar content is high, drinking yogurt or fermented milk will still cause the risk of obesity, so you still need to be moderate when drinking.

"Myth 5: Children can avoid excessive calorie intake by simply switching to low-calorie soda, sugar-free coffee or tea."

Answer: Low-calorie soda uses sugar substitutes instead of syrup. Long-term intake may cause metabolic abnormalities or induce cancer, so it is not recommended to buy foods containing sugar substitutes. Sugar-free coffee or tea has even bigger problems. First, it may contain sweeteners. Second, the caffeine in it can cause addiction, as well as insomnia, palpitations and other reactions. Its impact on young children's physical and mental health cannot be ignored.

Unbalanced diet and excessive calorie intake are one of the important factors causing childhood obesity.

[Health Tips]: Say no to junk drinks by doing this

It is recommended that parents only prepare three kinds of drinks at home on weekdays: boiled water, freshly squeezed juice and milk. The above three kinds of drinks are the best choices for adults and young children. When children are accustomed to drinking only these healthy drinks from an early age, they will naturally stay away from those "heavy-tasting" drinks that are harmful to the body in the future.

Parents can also make their own unsweetened health teas, such as barley tea, roselle tea, cassia seed tea, plum tea, herbal tea, wolfberry tea, chrysanthemum tea, red date tea, etc., as tea for their children. If children insist on drinking sugary drinks, parents should firmly refuse and set an example by quitting the habit of drinking sugary drinks themselves so as to establish rules for beverage selection at home.

★"Childhood Obesity Warning!" 》Research: Blood pressure and blood sugar abnormality rates are 2 times higher~