by Claudia Boyd-Barrett posted in Parenting

Chances are high your toddler is eating too much added sugar, potentially putting him at risk for obesity and other health problems later in life, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Researchers with the CDC analyzed survey data from parents of 800 American children ages 6 months through just under 2 years old. Parents recorded the foods and beverages their children consumed over a 24-hour period, including foods with added sugar. The researchers used this information to calculate the children's added sugar intake.
More than 4 out of 5 children consumed added sugar, and their intake increased with age, the researchers found. Babies ages 6 to 11 months averaged just under 1 teaspoon a day, but between 12 and 18 months old that amount grew to more than 5 teaspoons a day, according to the study. By the time children reached 1 ½ to 2 years old they were consuming more than 7 teaspoons of added sugar a day. That's more than the amount of sugar in a Snickers bar. It's also more than the government's 6-teaspoon daily added-sugar limit recommended for older children and adult women.
 
Added sugar includes cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey and other forms of sugar that are added to foods such as yogurt, ready-to-eat cereals, sugary drinks, candy and baked goods. The researchers did not count artificial, zero-calorie sweeteners. They also ignored sugars that occur naturally in ...