Effects of Excess Sugar In-take on Children

Sugar's Effects on Teens

Reducing sugar intake can improve a teen's health

Whether in the form of soda, sports drinks, candy bars, or hidden in a variety of foods, teens are overdosing on sugar on a regular basis. The American Heart Association estimates teens consume 34 teaspoons of sugar each day, double the maximum recommendation for good health. The excessive amount of sugar in the average teenager's diet can potentially lead to a number of unhealthy consequences that can only be reversed by reducing or eliminating sugar from their daily menu.

Weight Gain and Obesity

1. • Today's teens drink more sugar sweetened beverages than low-fat milk or water and they are paying a heavy price. According to the Healthy Eating Research program, the empty calories in soda, juice drinks and punches, and sports drinks contribute to the growing childhood obesity problem. Obesity makes a teen less healthy, less active and negatively affects self-esteem. Teens are also less likely to choose to snack on healthy foods like lean meats, fruits and vegetables because they are filling up on sugary liquids.

   Increased Risk of Diabetes

   • Eating and drinking excessive amounts of sugar sweetened products put a teen at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Consuming products with a high sugar content spikes blood sugar levels, leads to insulin resistance and causes inflammation. Obesity caused by excessive sugar consumption also puts a teen at risk of becoming a diabetic.

   Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

   • Teens who eat too much sugar may not experience immediate heart problems, but excessive sugar consumption affects cholesterol levels that can affect them later in life. National Public Radio quotes a study by Jean Welsh of Emory University School of Medicine in which it was discovered teens who consumed large amounts of sugar had higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides, and lower levels of good cholesterol (HDL). Sustained unhealthy cholesterol levels puts teens at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

   Tendancy Toward Depression

   • There is some evidence that overloading the body with sugar can cause depression, possibly because it causes insulin resistance and the release of the stress hormone cortisol, according to Baylor University researchers. There is also evidence that unstable blood sugar levels can negatively affect teens and adults with mood disorders making symptoms worse, and increase symptoms in teens and adults suffering from schizophrenia.

   Causes or Worsens Acne

   • Many teens are prone to acne. Teens who eat a lot of sugar are especially susceptible to breakouts. Eating too much sugar causes inflammation which in turn can increase the number pimples a teen experiences and worsen acne flareups.

   Increased Cancer Risk

   • Cancer cells love sugar. In fact sugar is the substance that feeds cancer cells and causes them to grow. Eating too much sugar puts a teen at greater risk of developing any number of types of cancer. Studies at the University of Buffalo and the University of Minnesota show that individual age 14 and over were at an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer if they drank as little as few as two soft drinks a week, and high blood sugar and obesity makes a female more likely to develop breast cancer.