Cincinnati Children's Blog
  • Y&H Podcast
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Y&H Podcast
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
HOME/Fitness and Nutrition/5 Easy Ways to Reduce Sugar in Your Child’s Diet

5 Easy Ways to Reduce Sugar in Your Child’s Diet

5 Easy Ways to Reduce Sugar in Your Child’s Diet
September 18, 2022
Shelly Frank, RD, LD
11 Comments

Sugar, sugar, everywhere: blueberry muffins and juice for breakfast. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with fruit punch and Oreos for lunch. Fruit snacks and cupcakes at a school party. Ice cream with dinner.

As a nation — and even around the globe — we are eating far too much sugar every day. The average daily added sugar intake for children and young adults aged 2-19 is 17 tsp or 71 grams, coming mainly from sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts and sweet snacks.

In an effort to help combat the large amounts of sugar being consumed each day, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends less than 10% of calories from added sugars for individuals 2 years and older and no added sugars for children under the age of 2. Similarly, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that children consume no more than 25 grams or 6 tsp of sugar per day, and also recommends no added sugar under the age of 2.

Recommendations to limit added sugars can help people live healthier lives. However, focusing only on limiting foods and drinks high in added sugars misses the bigger picture. It is important to focus on balanced nutrition and eating more of the foods we were meant to eat such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy or dairy alternative, and protein foods such as lean, unprocessed meats, poultry, fish, beans and nuts.

If we ate more of these foods and less processed foods, many of the diet-related diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease could be reduced significantly. The amount of sugar our children consumed would be drastically cut as well. Processed foods add calories with limited or no nutritional value.

It’s an important step in the right direction for anyone to reduce sugar as a way to promote a healthier lifestyle and help prevent certain diseases. In the Center for Better Health and Nutrition, we talk about practical ways to decrease added sugar using the tips below.

 

 5 SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE SUGAR IN YOUR CHILD’S DIET

 

  1. Eliminate or drastically reduce sugary drinks

    This includes sodas, sports drinks, lemonade, fruit punch, energy drinks and 100% fruit juice. Even 100% fruit juice with no added sugar contains a lot of sugar with none of the fiber you will find in a piece of fruit to help fill you up. Drink mostly water and plain low-fat milk. Eat whole fruit, like an apple, instead of drinking apple juice.

  2. Serve more vegetables and fruits

    Most children (and even adults!) do not eat enough produce each day such as apples, carrots, broccoli, bananas and peppers. Whole fruit and vegetables contain water and fiber, which will help kids to feel full. Plus, research tells us that chewing is an important part of satiety. Include fruit and vegetables with meals and snacks. Aim for half your plate to be fruit and vegetables.

  3. Eat whole foods that aren’t processed

    Eating more foods in their natural state will not only ensure that you know what is in them, but will help eliminate added sugars.

  4. Cook more at home

    I realize this is a tough one, but the more you can cook for your family at home, the more control you have over the foods that you eat. Restaurants often add sugar (and salt and fat) to enhance the taste of the foods on their menu. But these additives aren’t necessary for making foods taste good. When you do eat out, plan ahead for healthier choices and be mindful of portions.

  5. Pack snacks ahead of time 

    If you’re out and about with your kids, it’s tempting to grab a snack from the candy aisle, snack counter or vending machine. But if you plan ahead of time and bring snacks with you, it’s possible to avoid this scenario. Fruits, veggies and dips (such as nut butters), trail mix, and nuts all travel well.

If you have questions about our HealthWorks! Nutrition Program, or would like to schedule an appointment, please visit our webpage or call 513-636-4305.

Related Articles

7 Exercise Ideas to Keep Kids Active This Winter
7 Exercise Ideas to Keep Kids Active This Winter
Healthy Summer Snack Ideas & Tips for Kids
Healthy Summer Snack Ideas & Tips for Kids
7 Ways To Help Your Family Stay Physically Active This Summer
7 Ways To Help Your Family Stay Physically Active This Summer
Podcast | Kids in the Kitchen: From Toddlers to Teens, Fostering a Love of Food
Podcast | Kids in the Kitchen: From Toddlers to Teens, Fostering a Love of Food
TAGS:
  • HealthWorks!
  • healthy eating
  • Home

About the author: Shelly Frank, RD, LD

Shelly Frank, RD, LD is a clinical dietitian with the Center for Better Health and Nutrition and the HealthWorks! programs within Cincinnati Children's Heart Institute. Shelly has been providing pediatric weight management services at Cincinnati Children’s for over 15 years.

Write A Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

Natasha Raja, MD April 15, 2014 at 5:10 pm

The statistics on our children’s sugar intake is shocking. Great article and great tips! Thank you.
Natasha Raja, MD, author of Parenting MD: Guide to Baby’s First Year

Nut Free Mama April 5, 2016 at 12:57 pm

My three year old currently attends a “low sugar” school, so they only get about 7 grams of sugar with each meal, which makes me happy. We have nut allergies, so thankfully eating out is hardly ever an option for us. My biggest issue is breakfast. All she ever wants are Pop-Tarts. I hate that I ever purchased them now. I offer to switch that out with a sunbutter and jelly sandwich or some yogurt and toast when possible. The other nemeses are gummy snacks. The only juice we drink is the Honest juice, which, if you haven’t tasted it, is hardly sweet at all. I just feel like at this age the only things that are marketed to them are sugary snacks…companies slap a Disney character on it and it’s like pulling teeth to get them to try anything else.

Sugar-sweetened Beverages – sugaroverconsumption May 1, 2016 at 11:37 pm

[…] Now despite that fact that we can work to change access to sugar-sweetened beverages at home, there is further action that must be taken. According to the 2008 US Federal Trade Commission report, beverage companies spent $492 million on youth-directed efforts (Rogers, 1986). Advertising exposure to these unhealthy drinks is associated with increased consumption,while exposure during childhood can create a lasting bias towards advertised brands in adulthood (Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, 2014). The sugar-sweetened beverage industry is posing striking similarities to our tobacco industries, which advertise and market unhealthy products while exploiting our health. The second highest environment that sugar-sweetened beverages is consumed are at food service establishments and schools (Pomeranz, 2012). The marketing of unhealthy products to children is largely unregulated; this is because, as Pomeranz (2012) states, that as of the 1970s, the FDA has found that added sugar was generally recognized as safe. It may be difficult to curb your child’s sweet tooth, but here is a list of ways to help. 5 Ways to Reduce Child’s Sugar Intake […]

Kristen February 5, 2018 at 2:51 pm

This is a great article Barbara and something that thankfully more and more people are becoming aware of. It’s so important to read nutritional labels these days and refrain from assuming that foods we consider to be healthy have small amounts of sugar. Things like yogurt, almond butter, and even wheat bread can contain significant amounts of sugar. Definitely double check that before giving it to your kids.

Lisa Henke March 23, 2018 at 7:10 am

Thanks for the great info. I can only find a AHA reference to 25 grams of added sugar for kids. Would you share your reference to the 12 grams. So much changes. Lisa Henke NBC-HWC

    Barbara Lattin MS, RD, LD March 29, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    Hi Lisa,

    Thanks for reaching out! The USDA & World Health Organization have lowered the recommendation down to no more than 5% of daily calories. The actual gram amount would be dependent on calorie needs — the lower the calorie needs, the lower the gram recommendations. For example, if someone needs 1,000 calories a day, 5% would be no more than 100 calories from added sugars, or 12.5 grams.

      Teresa Schenck DNP, ARNP, CPNP March 30, 2018 at 10:41 am

      Hi Barbara, Thank you for the article. I spend a lot of time trying to talk to families about their children’s sugar intake! It is so difficult! Even at 25 gms a day – that is about 6 teaspoons. In my research, the average child gets 13 teaspoons a day, teens closer to 22 teaspoons per day (I dare say some much more). I do appreciate your suggestion to focus on general good nutrition and not just the sugars! Thank you.

Lucy Grey July 31, 2018 at 12:55 am

Really amazing article!

Sugar Intake in Children and how it Affects their Health | Keesha Causemaker September 27, 2019 at 2:59 pm

[…] Pack snacks ahead of time. If you’re out and about with your kids, it’s tempting to give in and grab a snack from the candy aisle, snack counter, or vending machine.  But if you plan ahead of time and bring snacks with you, it’s possible to avoid this scenario.  Fruits, veggies and dips (hummus, nut butters), trail mix, and nuts all travel well (https://blog.cincinnatichildrens.org/healthy-living/5-simple-ways-to-reduce-sugar-in-your-childs-die&#8230😉 […]

4 Health Problems To Watch Out For In Toddlers - Just Bein' Mommy January 7, 2020 at 6:37 am

[…] like juice also contain high levels of sugar. It’s best to check the labels on all foods and cut back on sugar as much as […]

Tips for Keeping Your Family Fit During the Pandemic | Fit2Go June 11, 2020 at 7:03 am

[…] reducing or eliminating added sugars from your family’s […]

Topics

  • Cancer and Blood Diseases
  • Child Development and Behavior
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Chronic Care Networks
  • Cincinnati Walks for Kids
  • Featured Faces
  • Fetal Conditions
  • Fitness and Nutrition
  • Food Allergies
  • Ghana 2012
  • Health Care Public Policy
  • Health Care Quality
  • Health Care Reform
  • Healthy Living
  • Heart Conditions
  • Hospital Operations
  • Learning and Growing
  • Nurses Week 2012
  • Patient Family Experience
  • Patient Flow
  • Patient Safety
  • Pin of the Week
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Share Your Story
  • Technology
  • The Young & Healthy Podcast
  • Uncategorized
  • Vaccines
  • Volunteerism
  • What's New
See All Topics
See Less Topics

Subscribe

Subscribe today to our family newsletter for tips, blog posts, podcasts and more.

Subscribe Now

Popular Posts

About

The Cincinnati Children’s blog features thoughts and perspectives from our experts on all things pediatric health. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Learn More »

Contact Us
  • 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
  • 1-513-636-4200 | 1-800-344-2462
  • TTY: 1-513-636-4900
  • socialmedia@cchmc.org
Connect With Us
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us

© 2009-2025 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center