Children are consuming more sugary drinks than ever

As we step into a new decade, it’s high time we zoom into our children’s diet, especially their sugary drink intake. Researchers have uncovered a startling fact: children are consuming 23% more sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) now than they did back in 1990.

Behind this significant research is an expert team that vigorously collected and analyzed global dietary data. The team was led by an eminent scientist who is dedicated to understanding dietary patterns and their influence on our health.

Children consuming sugary drinks

“Sugary beverages increase weight gain and risk of obesity, so even though kids don’t often develop diabetes or cardiovascular disease when they are young, there could be significant impacts later in life,” said first author Laura Lara-Castor, a recent graduate of the Friedman School and now a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Washington.

“This study highlights the need for targeted education and policy interventions to change behavior early on and prevent the adverse outcomes associated with sugar-sweetened beverage intake in childhood.”

Alarming numbers

The numbers are indeed chilling. Globally, our children and teenagers are drinking these sugary drinks more and more, showing an average increase of 23% from 1990 to 2018. This trend mirrors a rise in obesity among young individuals in the same period.

Sugary drinks aren’t just limited to the traditional soft drinks, they’re also those deceptive fruit drinks, energy drinks, punch, and lemonade. Any beverage with added sugars and at least 50 kcal per serving is considered an SSB.

Childrens’ sugary drink intake by region

When we dive into the geographical details, an interesting picture emerges. Sub-Saharan Africa witnessed the largest increase with an additional 2.17 servings per week.

On the other side of the spectrum, South Asia has the least weekly intake of 1.3 servings. The highest intake? Latin America and the Caribbean, averaging around 9.1 servings.

The study also sheds light on the urban-rural divide. It reveals that children and adolescents who live in cities consume more SSBs than their rural counterparts. Further, the intake is higher among children of parents with higher education levels.

“Our findings should raise alarm bells in nearly every nation worldwide,” said senior author Dariush Mozaffarian, Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School. “The intakes and trends we’re seeing pose a significant threat to public health, one we can and must address for the future of a healthier population.”

The role of education

Education is vital in influencing children’s dietary choices. Studies show that comprehensive nutrition education leads to healthier beverage choices among kids.

By informing children and their guardians about the impacts of sugar-sweetened beverages, schools and communities can foster healthier lifestyles from an early age.

To combat the rising consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, effective policy interventions are needed at local and national levels.

Strategies like taxing sugary drinks, regulating marketing to children, and increasing access to healthier options can change public habits.

Collaboration among governments, healthcare providers, and community organizations is crucial in promoting health consciousness and fostering well-being for future generations.

Limiting children’s sugary drink intake

The researchers emphasize that efforts to control the marketing of SSBs to children and teenagers are crucial. And rightly so, as the study suggests that the increase in SSB intake among children and adolescents from 1990 to 2018 was almost double that seen among adults.

Despite certain limitations, such as the availability of dietary survey data, the findings act as a crucial tool in understanding and addressing the rising consumption of SSBs worldwide. These findings “should be taken as the best currently available, but nonetheless imperfect, estimates of SSB intake worldwide,” add the authors.

The findings serve to guide national and targeted policies aimed at reducing SSB intake among young people globally. This can help curb the growing problem of SSBs for public health, particularly in regions like the Latin America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa.

The study’s intent is aligned with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It’s a call for everyone involved, from parents to policy makers, to take a look at our young ones’ plates and glasses.

After all, the health of children is a reflection of the health of our future.

The study is published in the journal BMJ.

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