Sugar Sweetened Beverages Are the Top Source of Added Sugars in Young Children: 2016 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS)

Abstract

List the top sources of added sugars for toddler and preschool aged children in the United States. Added sugars include syrups and sugars added during food processing or home preparation and exclude sugars naturally found in foods like milk and fruit. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend avoiding added sugars for children under two and limiting to less than 10% of calories for older children. FITS is the largest nationwide cross-sectional survey focused on dietary intakes and feeding practices of children under four years. Mean added sugar intake was calculated from the latest survey (2016) and the top sources were ranked according to percent contribution to total added sugar intake using 1-day 24 hour recalls of toddlers (12-23.9 months) and preschool-aged children (24-47.9 months). The mean daily added sugar intake was 22g (9.9% of calories) and 37g (14% of calories) among toddlers and preschoolers respectively. The primary source of added sugar among toddlers was sugar sweetened beverages (17%), followed by family cereal (10%), yogurt (9%), cookies/bars/brownies (8%), and sugar/syrup/preserves (7%). Sugar sweetened beverages were also the primary source of added sugars among preschoolers (21%), followed by sugar/syrup/preserves (9%), family cereal (8%), candy (7%), and yogurt (7%). Sugar sweetened beverages with low nutritive value are the leading dietary contributor to added sugars. Other sources such as fortified cereals and yogurts contain other important nutrients for young children such as iron, zinc, fiber, calcium, and vitamin D. Parents can focus on avoiding sugar sweetened beverages as they have low nutritive value, enter the diet early, and contribute more added sugar as children get older.