Among known health challenges that could be triggered by unwholesome sugar consumption, child health and nutrition experts say feeding children less than five years with fruit juice laden with excess sugar may predispose them to risks of developing heart disease, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes.
According to them, many of the fruit juices sold in markets are packed with sugar, including those with claims of ‘no sugar or additive added’.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise, the experts noted that lots of children consuming sugary drinks indiscriminately are coming down with obesity, a known factor that predisposes people to other major non-communicable diseases that were once associated with only adults.
A Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Oncologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Professor Edamisan Temiye, said sugary drinks promote obesity in children.
He warned mothers to desist from feeding their children to be obese, warning that such an act has dangerous side effects.
The consultant said some mothers buy all sorts of unhealthy food and treats to make their children look chubby, but noted that it is better for a child to be healthy by eating foods that promote good health than to be sickness-prone by eating junk foods that makes them chubby.
“We don’t know what they mix in the juice but one thing for sure is that they are packed with sugar. And feeding children with excessive sugar is not good.
“Obesity is not good for anyone, and it’s worse in children. Children with obesity will develop hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. From childhood, we monitor them and have discovered that they have these conditions.
“A lot of people don’t know that children can develop hypertension. Yes, children do have hypertension. We are now finding it in them! There are so many studies that we have carried out that showed children are having hypertension. Sedentary lifestyle is also a major problem.”
The professor urged mothers to feed their children foods and drinks high in nutritional benefits and not junk, adding, “Importantly, let them take lots of water.”
Also, a nutrition expert, Professor Ignatius Onimawo, said one cannot guarantee the safety of sweeteners added to artificial fruit juice.
The professor, who is a former Vice-Chancellor, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, said, “A juice that has been added all kinds of preservatives and sweeteners should be discouraged. Even adults should be careful about consuming all these sugary drinks.
“They will tell you there’s no sugar added, but it’s a lie. They have lots of sugar. It may not be just sugar, as they can add some other sweeteners. Fruit juice that has artificial sweeteners should not be given to children under five.”
The former President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria noted that processed juice does children so much disservice.
“Some of the additives are capable of bioaccumulation (a process of accumulation of chemicals in an organism that takes place if the rate of intake exceeds the rate of excretion). These are some of the reasons why children are coming down with Type 2 diabetes. It should be given sparingly”, he advised.
In a study published in an online journal, PMC, the researchers said childhood obesity could profoundly affect children’s physical health, social and emotional well-being, as well as self-esteem.
According to them, there is supporting evidence that excessive sugar intake in soft drinks, increased portion size and a steady decline in physical activities have also been known to play major roles in the rising rates of obesity all over the world.
Highlighting other dangers of childhood obesity, they said,” It is also associated with poor academic performance and a lower quality of life experienced by the child.
“Many co-morbid conditions like metabolic, cardiovascular, orthopedic, neurological, hepatic, pulmonary, and renal disorders are also seen in association with childhood obesity.”
According to VeryWell Family, an online health portal, beyond the long-term prevention of diabetes and heart disease, avoiding added sugars can keep children from having to undergo painful and expensive dental treatment.
It noted that tooth decay is exacerbated by the regular consumption of sugary foods and beverages, adding, “If untreated, dental problems can lead to serious infections (even when they are just baby teeth).
Source: The Punch