Excessive sugar intake in childhood may not just cause harm limited to teeth or obesity, but can affect body and brain health throughout the lifespan. A recent scientific study published in National Geographic has revealed that consuming too much sugar at an early age has long-term effects on a person’s memory, behavior and metabolism. According to reports, today’s children are consuming many times more sugar than the recommended limit.
Scientists said that hidden sugar is present in the diet of modern children not only in candy or sweets, but also in many common foods such as cereals, flavored yogurts, packed juices and prepared snacks. This type of hidden sugar makes children develop the habit of high sugar intake at an early age. In an experimental study conducted in the US, it was found that rats who were given high amounts of sugar during their development period not only suffered from obesity and diabetes in adulthood, but also showed weaknesses in their hippocampus (the part of the brain that is associated with learning and memory).
Health experts say that the daily sugar intake limit prescribed for children is about 25 grams i.e. 6 teaspoons, but most children are consuming double or triple this. This not only causes insulin resistance and obesity but also increases the risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes and mental instability in the future.
Not just food, this is also a social challenge
Habits related to excessive sugar consumption in childhood develop into psychological patterns, which are extremely difficult to change. Scientists have called it Neural Programming of Taste and Behavior i.e. permanently registering the craving for sweets in the brain since childhood. According to Dr. John Rogers, a neuropsychologist at the University of California, excess sugar not only increases weight or dental problems, but it also abnormally activates dopamine receptors in the brain. Its long term effect is that the child later becomes addicted to sweets like nicotine or caffeine.
Also read: Study: A sharp mind is not a gift by birth; Scientists claim- Right diet increases both brain health and capacity.
Danger is increasing in India also
This concern is even more serious in the Indian perspective. Reports by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) show that children aged 6 to 16 years in urban India are consuming an average of 32 to 45 grams of sugar per day, which is almost double the recommended limit. Most families do not realize how much added sugar is contained in their children’s breakfast cereals, packaged milk, biscuits and beverages. Pediatricians have warned that cases of childhood obesity and juvenile diabetes in India have increased by 27 percent in the last decade.
price of sweet childhood
According to experts, sugar is not just a taste, it is a long-term health investment. If the amount of sugar in children’s initial diet is controlled, not only physical but also mental health can be protected. Sugar is an ingredient that leaves a long-term impression on both the brain and body of children.
