麻豆传媒

Children and adolescents should consume no more than 25 grams of added sugars a day, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA).

The statement in addresses the health concerns in young children and adolescents as a result of consumption of added sugars, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance leading to type 2 diabetes.

"There has been a lack of clarity and consensus regarding how much sugar is considered safe for children, so sugars remain a commonly added ingredient in foods and drinks, and overall consumption by children remains high -- the typical American consumes about triple the recommended amount of added sugars," said lead author , of the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, said in a press release.

After examination of the literature on five main categories of blood pressure, lipids, obesity, insulin, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the AHA recommends that children between the ages of 2 and 18 years should consume ≤25 g, or about 100 calories (approximately 6 tsp.) of added sugars each day.

For children under the age of 2 years, all added sugars should be avoided, due in part, to the establishment of "taste preferences" early in life, the statement authors noted.

"I congratulate the AHA on their bold new statement on added sugar consumption. After decades of misplaced concern about fat in the diet, this statement helpfully shifts focus to the main problem with diet today -- excessive intakes of processed carbohydrates," said , director of the new balance foundation obesity prevention center at Boston Children's Hospital, told 麻豆传媒, "But it's important not to lose sight of other processed carbohydrates -- including white bread, white rice, and potato products -- that have similar metabolic effects as sugar and are also over-consumed."

Ludwig, who is the author of the book Always Hungry?: Conquer Cravings, Retrain Your Fat Cells, and Lose Weight Permanently, pointed out that a high level of sugar intake is a "historical aberration. Most people across the world and throughout time ate sugar as an occasional treat, not a major component of the diet. With a simultaneous focus on welcoming back nutritious high fat foods (like nuts, full fat dairy, olive oil and dark chocolate), the shift to a diet low in sugar and other processed carbohydrates is entirely feasible and will likely produce major reductions in rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.:

Although there is a lack of data directly linking the quantities of added sugars and heightened cardiovascular (CVD) risk, Vos and colleagues focused on studies where correlations were observed. They cited major gaps in the literature, urging for future longitudinal, randomized, controlled studies to further examine the effects of added sugars in adolescence.

In order to help parents follow the new recommendations, the authors pointed out that "starting in July 2018, food manufacturers will be required to list the amount of added sugars on the nutritional facts panel."

"Until then, the best way to avoid added sugars in your child's diet is to serve mostly foods that are high in nutrition, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meat, poultry and fish, and to limit food with little nutritional value," Vos said.

The statement was developed by several AHA councils, including the nutrition committee of the council on lifestyle and cardiometabolic health and the council on cardiovascular disease in the young.

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