With the arrival of the festive season, Halloween, and holiday celebrations, children often indulge in sugary treats, including sweets and candies.
However, new research suggests that it is recommended to keep a close eye on young children’s sugar intake.
A study published Friday in the journal
Science reveals that reducing sugar in a child’s first 1,000 days – from conception through to age 2 – could help lower their risk of chronic conditions in adulthood.
Led by Tadeja Gracner, senior economist at the Centre for Economics and Social Research at the University of Southern California, the study indicates that children with limited sugar intake in early life had up to 35 per cent reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and nearly 20 per cent lower risk of hypertension as adults.
While mothers consuming minimal sugar during pregnancy already reduced these risks, continuing to limit sugar after birth strengthened the benefits, according to the research.
The study used a “natural…
