Sweet tooth - WKTV Journal

In studies, about 98% of toddlers had added sugar in their daily diet. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

Bad eating habits begin at a young age in American children, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 1,200 babies (aged 6 to 11 months) and toddlers (12 to 23 months) between 2011 and 2016.

They found that 61% of babies and 98% of toddlers consumed added sugars in their typical daily diet, mainly in flavored yogurt and fruit drinks.

Infants consumed about 1 teaspoon of added sugars daily (about 2% of their daily calorie intake) and toddlers consumed about 6 teaspoons (about 8% of their daily calories).

The main sources of added sugar for infants were yogurt, snacks and sweet bakery products. For toddlers, the top sources were fruit drinks, sweet baked products and candy.

Asian toddlers consumed the fewest added sugars (3.7 teaspoons) and blacks the most (8.2 teaspoons).

The study was published online recently in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“This has important public health implications since previous research has shown that eating patterns established early in life shape later eating patterns,” lead investigator Kirsten Herrick said in a journal news release. She’s a researcher with the Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The findings did bring some good news: The percentage of babies and toddlers whose daily diets include added sugars declined, as did the amounts they consumed.

But consumption of added sugars remains high among young children.

Herrick noted that a previous study found that 6-year-olds who had consumed any sugar-sweetened drink before their first birthday were more than twice as likely to drink such beverages every day than those who had not.

“Previous research into the diets of children over 2 years old associated sugar consumption with the development of cavities, asthma, obesity, elevated blood pressure and altered lipid profiles,” Herrick said.

Only one U.S. health organization—the American Heart Association—offers guidelines on sugar consumption for children under age 2, researchers noted.

“Our study’s findings about infant and toddler diets should raise awareness among health organizations and practitioners and inform future guidelines and recommendations,” Herrick said.

She advised parents to be cautious about added sugars in the foods they give babies when weaning them.

Parents should talk to a health care provider about which solid foods to introduce, and check the nutrition information on food labels.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in some ice cream and a host of other products, can cause your dog to have problems with blood sugar levels. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay

The sugar substitute xylitol may help you lose weight, but it can be deadly for your dog, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.

Xylitol is present in many human foods and other products. The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has received a number of reports over the past several years of dogs being poisoned by xylitol.

The most recently reported case involved sugar-free ice cream, said FDA veterinarian Dr. Martine Hartogensis.

Other products that may contain xylitol include sugar-free chewing gum, breath mints, baked goods, some peanut and nut butters, sugar-free desserts, cough syrup, children’s and adult chewable vitamins, mouthwash, toothpaste, over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements.

When dogs eat something containing xylitol, the sweetener is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and can trigger a surge of insulin from the pancreas.

This could lead to a rapid, severe drop in blood sugar levels that can be life-threatening, according to the FDA.

Symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs include vomiting, decreased activity, weakness, staggering, lack of coordination, collapse and seizures.

If you think your dog has eaten xylitol, take it to a veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital immediately, Hartogensis advised.

There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk that your dog will consume xylitol.

“Check the label for xylitol in the ingredients of products, especially ones that advertise as sugar-free or low sugar. If a product does contain xylitol, make sure your pet can’t get to it,” Hartogensis said in an FDA news release.

Keep products that contain xylitol—including non-food products such as toothpaste—where your dog can’t get them.

Only use pet toothpaste for pets, never human toothpaste.

If you give your dog nut butter as a treat or to give your dog pills, check the label first to make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.