American children who mindlessly eat sweets after meals are more likely to be overweight, a new study says. University of Michigan researchers found that kids who eat cakes and cookies after consuming a full meal have more chances of gaining excess weight compared to kids who crave salty foods.
The new study, published in the journal Pediatrics, tracked the link of eating in the absence of hunger to the weight gain of American children from low-income families. The researchers performed food experiments with more than 200 children aged 21, 27 and 33 months, and discovered that those who ate the most sweets after the meal had greater odds of becoming overweight.
Sweets May Make American Children Overweight
The researchers conducted the experiment by asking the American children's mothers to let their kids eat a usual lunch. After eating lunch, the researchers gave them a plate containing 10 Frito-Lay Cheetos cheese puffs, 10 Pringles potato chips, five frosted Keebler animal cookies, two rainbow candy blast Chips Ahoy cookies, two Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, two Oreos and two Keebler fudge stripe chocolate-coated cookies.
The researchers allowed the American children to eat whatever they want for 10 minutes. They found that those who consumed more sweets appeared to be heavier than the average kids at the age 33 months.
Limiting American Children's Access To Sweets
Dr. Julie Lumeng, senior study author and pediatrician at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, told Toronto Sun that the children's behavior of craving for sweets could be inborn. She advised parents to be more vigilant about keeping sweets out from their children and limiting their accessibility.
Commenting on the study, Dr. Lenna Liu, a pediatrician at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Seattle Children's Hospital who was not associated in the research, said that the snacking habits of American children could also be influenced by poverty. She explained that there are kids who do not have access to adequate foods or healthy meals.
Liu added that parents should limit but not overly restrict their kids from eating sweet foods. "In particular, limit sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda or juice - have them drink water or lowfat milk," she recommended.
