Many parents are doing their best to make their children feel good and loved by giving them sweets and sugary foods anytime they feel like it.
Today, our children do not go to school without sweets. Toffees, biscuits, all manner of sugary carbonated drinks, and other funny things called snacks are stuffed into the lunch boxes and school bags of children going to school.
It is sad to say, many schools encourage the sale of all manner of sugary snacks in their schools.
Children love sweets naturally but parents need to keep the health of their children in mind and what their health will become when these children grow up.
By age 20, the excess sugar served to these new young adults when they were kids will begin to have a negative effect on their health.
Medical research has proven that eating too much sugary food in childhood can have a number of negative health consequences in old age. At an early age, these health implications will 99% of the time not be visible but as these children age, the reality dawns on them.
For instance, a researcher conducted a study “The health and economic burden associated with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in Trinidad and Tobago” and found that “Estimates for one year showed that SSB consumption was associated with approximately 15,000 cases of overweight and obesity in adults and 11,700 cases in children, 28% of all the cases of diabetes and overall, an estimated 387 deaths and 9000 years of healthy life were lost due to premature death and disability. Approximately US$23.1 million was spent in the public healthcare system to treat diseases associated with the consumption of sugary beverages.
The research concluded that The consumption of excess sugar is associated with increases in diseases, deaths, and rising healthcare costs.
Clearly, if you are feeding your ward with sweets and such sugary drinks today, know that, you are only building a solid sugar-related illness to be suffered by the child in the future.
How do excess sweets in childhood negatively affect children in their adulthood?
Parents kill their children with sweets before the children grow.
Eating too many sweets in childhood can have a number of negative health consequences in adulthood. Excess sugar intake in childhood can also have negative effects on mental health and cognitive development.
Studies have shown that children who eat a lot of sugary foods are more likely to have problems with attention, behaviour, and learning.
They may also be more likely to develop depression and anxiety later in life.
READ: 7 Health Benefits Of Sugarcane You Probably Didn’t Know
Below are some of the deadly sicknesses that too much sugary foods can cause in your child now and in the future.
Parents kill their children with sweets and can be blamed for all the medical conditions related to sugar as the children enter adulthood and old age.
- Obesity: Excess sugar intake is a major risk factor for obesity, which is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
- Type 2 diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body cannot properly use insulin, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Eating too much sugar can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, especially in people who are overweight or obese.
- Heart disease: Eating too much sugar can raise blood cholesterol levels, which can increase the risk of heart disease.
- Stroke: Stroke is a serious medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted. Eating too much sugar can increase the risk of stroke, especially in people who are overweight or obese.
- Some types of cancer: Some studies have linked high sugar intake to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer and colon cancer.
- Dental problems: Eating too much sugary food can increase the risk of cavities and other dental problems.
- Other health problems: Eating too much sugar can also contribute to other health problems, such as fatty liver disease, kidney disease, and gout.
It is important to note that the effects of excess sugar intake on health can vary from person to person. Some people may be more sensitive to the effects of sugar than others. However, there is no doubt that eating too much sugar is harmful to health, and it is especially important to limit sugar intake in children to prevent health problems later in life.
Here are some tips for helping your child eat a healthy diet and limit their sugar intake:
- Offer healthy snacks and drinks instead of sugary ones. Get them freshly squized juices or fruits for school.
- Limit sugary drinks, such as soda, juice, and sports drinks.
- Read food labels carefully and choose foods with low sugar content.
- Cook at home more often so you can control the ingredients in your child’s food.
- Make sure your child gets plenty of exercise.
- Control your child’s sweet intake and be a responsible parent.
- As a parent learn to say a big no to sweets in your home, saying no will not kill your ward but safe his or her life.
Here are some tips on how to win children from too much sugar and sweets intake:
- Be a role model: Children learn by watching the adults in their lives. If you want your child to eat a healthy diet, make sure you are eating a healthy diet yourself. Don’t offer your child sugary foods or drinks if you don’t want them to eat them.
- Limit sugary drinks: Sugary drinks are a major source of added sugar in children’s diets. Limit your child’s intake of sugary drinks, such as soda, juice, and sports drinks. Instead, offer them water, milk, or unsweetened tea or coffee.
- Read food labels: When you are shopping for food, read the food labels carefully. Choose foods with low sugar content.
- Cook at home more often: When you cook at home, you can control the ingredients in your child’s food. This makes it easier to limit the amount of sugar in their diet.
- Make healthy snacks available: Keep healthy snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts, on hand so your child has something to eat when they are hungry.
- Don’t use food as a reward or punishment: Don’t use food as a reward or punishment. This can teach your child to associate food with negative emotions, which can lead to unhealthy eating habits.
- Be patient: It takes time to change eating habits. Don’t get discouraged if your child doesn’t give up sugary foods overnight. Just keep offering them healthy choices and eventually, they will come around.
By following these tips, you can help your child develop healthy eating habits that will benefit them for a lifetime.
The Ghana Education News Editorial Team is a specialized collective of education researchers, journalists, and policy analysts dedicated to providing high-fidelity reporting on the Ghanaian academic landscape. Serving as a primary bridge between governing bodies—including the Ghana Education Service (GES) and WAEC—and the public, the team leverages over a decade of combined experience to serve students, parents, and educators nationwide.
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The team is led by Wisdom Kojo Eli Hammond, a distinguished Ghanaian Edu-Tech Entrepreneur, AI Solutions Developer, and Product Architect with over 25 years of cross-disciplinary experience in education, finance, and digital media. Wisdom is the visionary force behind SkulManager, Ghana’s premier school management ecosystem, and the Lead Consultant at Education-News Consult.
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Wisdom’s 360-degree view of institutional challenges is grounded in his tenure as College President and Lecturer at Pinnacle College (Achimota), as well as his background as a school administrator and accountant. He is a dedicated lifelong learner currently advancing his studies at the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), with academic ties to the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
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