Child health & obesity:small isn't always sensible

Food for thought: a small serving isn't always a sensible serving...

Although tempting your tot to tuck into a smaller selection of sweet treats may seem like a sensible solution to slashing their sugar intake, this simple swap can still sabotage their silhouette.

In fact, satisfying your youngster's sweet tooth with a small serving of sweets can not only hinder their health by increasing their intake of one of the core culprits responsible for childhood obesity - sugar - but leave them predisposed to developing an array of detrimental diseases, including type 2 diabetes - a condition that is becoming increasingly more common amongst children and adolescents.

If you're yet to be convinced by this concerning claim, the image above resembles the reality of how a seemingly innocent serving of sweets can still contain a staggering 19.3g of sugar - 0.3g more than a minor's (aged 4-6) recommended daily allowance of added sugar.

Instead of pin pointing precise portion sizes, start scrutinising the salt, sugar and saturated fat content of your youngster's favourite foods - regardless of how small the serving. Although an overconsumption of calories may contribute to an accumulation of additional weight, allowing your minor to munch on too much salt, sugar and saturated fat can be equally as detrimental to their weight and well-being by leaving your little'un susceptible to suffering from an abundance of health complications such as hypertension (salt), high cholesterol (saturated fat) and tooth decay (sugar), whilst triggering a natural taste for the sweet and savoury sources that hinder their health - a habit that will often continue into adulthood, and contribute to the detrimental dietary decisions that will sabotage more than just their silhouette.

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